Colombia's music and folklore are highly disinctive. The Country's folk music reflects the Colombian people in a variety of moods from many differents regions. The people preserve their authentic music and dances by supporting annual folk festivals in diferent areas. The typical native folk instruments are the bandola, cuatro, maracas, and the tiple, which resembles the guitar. Many of the rhythms are derived from combination of music forms brought to the New World by the Spaniars and negro slaves.

It is not by chance that Cali is known as the "capital of salsa music", a city of artist and natural dancers.  In Cali, a city of artists and natural dancers, this music has been developed to the maximum and fills the air on the streets and in the discotheques. Places to listen to music and dances abound. However the discotheques of Juanchito, a neighborhood situated on the other side of the Cauca river, are especially well-known. Extraordinarily skilled dancers frequent them and treat the public to an unforgettable experience.


In Cali there are also nightly tours by chival, a folkloric bus with live music on board, which takes passengers of a tour of various discotheques. It is an excellent way to get to know the legendary Cali nightlife, overriding with contagious rhythms.


At the end of the year the traditional liveliness of Cali explodes. Between December 25 and January 3 the Cali Fair takes place, with all kinds of street festivities. At this time of year the Bullfighting Festival, one of the most important events of this kind in the country takes place in the Plaza de Cañaveralejo.