Outings and excursions · El Bolsón
National Hop Festival: El Bolsón raises a glass to its harvest
Photos: Gobierno de Río Negro · Turismo El Bolsón · Municipalidad de El Bolsón
Beer garden, shows, a fair and food in the second half of February, at the foot of Piltriquitrón, with free admission.
In late February, just before the hop harvest, El Bolsón throws its biggest party. The National Hop Festival honors the crop that made the Comarca Andina famous and its growers, and grew out of the old popular gathering held at harvest time. Four days of beer garden, shows, a fair and food at the foot of Mount Piltriquitrón, with free admission.
The hops of the Comarca
Families of German origin began growing hops in the area in the early 20th century, and from the 1940s El Bolsón’s growers supplied the country’s big breweries. The harvest was the valley’s main economic activity until the 1960s, and El Bolsón is still Argentina’s main hop-growing area.
What to see and do
- The beer garden, with craft beers from the region: in 2023 it had 150 taps.
- National artists every night and a regional stage with musicians from the Comarca. In 2026 Nonpalidece, La Beriso and Emanero played; in 2023, La Vela Puerca and La Konga, among others.
- Producers’ and artisans’ fair, regional food and tastings.
- Family bingo on the last day.
- In 2026 the program added the Hop Growers’ Trail, a tour of local hop farms, and a visit to Trufas Patagónicas to hunt for truffles with dogs.
A festival with history
According to the Municipality, the first edition was held on February 15, 1969 as the «Argentine Hop Festival», with a queen election, raft races, folk music and a parade of floats. The 48th edition took place in 2026, El Bolsón’s centenary year, and drew more than 100,000 people over four days. It was not held in 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic, and in 2025 it was cancelled because of forest fires.
When and where
It takes place in the second half of February at the El Bolsón Municipal Sports Center grounds. In 2026 it ran from Thursday, February 19 to Sunday, February 22. The date and line-up of each edition are announced by the Municipality of El Bolsón. It is high season in the Comarca, so book ahead. See accommodation in El Bolsón.
Getting there
From Bariloche it is about 120 km on route 40, around 2 hours, with buses from the terminal roughly every hour. From Esquel it is about 180 km on route 40, via Epuyén and El Hoyo.
