Cali’s Oiga Mire Lea Literature Festival Returns for a 12th Edition in Colombia

Culture · Colombia

Cali is gearing up to reaffirm its place on Colombia’s literary map. The city’s Oiga Mire Lea festival is preparing a 12th edition for September 2026, part of a broader push to grow its creative economy.

A literary anchor in Colombia’s third city

The Oiga Mire Lea International Literature Festival has become a fixed point on Cali’s cultural calendar since its founding. Its 12th edition is expected in early September 2026, following the annual pattern the festival has kept in recent years.

The event gathers writers, publishers and readers in Colombia’s third-largest economic centre. For a city of about 2.2 million, it has grown into a signature cultural draw.

Building on recent editions

The 11th edition ran from September 10 to 14, 2025 under the theme “Voces que abrazan,” or “voices that embrace.” The 10th edition was held in early September 2024, cementing the festival’s late-summer slot.

Each edition builds an audience and a network of participating authors. That continuity has helped the festival establish itself both nationally and across the region.

Culture as economic strategy

Cultural tourism has become a meaningful part of Colombia’s economy, generating more than US$2.5 billion in revenue in 2024. Festivals like Oiga Mire Lea channel visitor spending into the Valle del Cauca region around Cali.

Book fairs and literary festivals draw travellers who spend on hotels, food and local services. For host cities, they extend tourism beyond traditional sightseeing.

Cali’s creative-economy push

Cali has been positioning itself as a hub for the creative economy within the Pacific Alliance, the trade bloc that groups Colombia, Mexico, Peru and Chile. Literature, music and the arts are central to that pitch.

The city is best known internationally for salsa, but it has worked to broaden its cultural profile. A recurring literature festival adds depth to that identity.

Why it matters for visitors

For foreign travellers and residents, the festival offers an accessible window into Colombian and Latin American writing. Many events are open to the public, making it easy to drop in during a visit to Cali.

September is a comfortable time to visit the city, and the festival pairs naturally with Cali’s food and music scenes. It gives cultural tourists a reason to look beyond Bogotá and the Caribbean coast.

What to watch

Organisers are expected to confirm the exact dates, venues and headline authors closer to the event. Visitors planning a trip should check the official programme once it is released.

If the 12th edition matches recent years, it will again anchor Cali’s cultural calendar in early September. Its growth reflects the city’s wider bet on the creative economy.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Oiga Mire Lea festival in 2026?

Organisers point to early September 2026 for the 12th edition, in line with the festival’s established annual calendar; exact dates are expected to be confirmed closer to the event.

Where does it take place?

In Cali, Colombia’s third-largest economic centre and a city of about 2.2 million people.

Why does the festival matter?

It is a fixed point on Cali’s cultural calendar and part of the city’s push to grow its creative economy and cultural tourism.

Sources

• Festival Oiga Mire Lea
• Alcaldía de Cali
• ProColombia — culture

Sources: Oiga Mire Lea International Literature Festival organisers.