Colombian Culture in New York City

Colombian New York City

Colombians are New York City’s fifth largest Latin community as of 2020, making up 4% of New Yorkers.

New York’s “Little Colombia” is around Roosevelt Avenue and 84th St in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Most Colombian New Yorkers are paisas from Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia. “Paisas” are famous for their business sense.

Colombian Art in NYC

Americas Society hosts occasional Colombian art exhibitions, in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

David Benrimon gallery exhibits Boteros. davidbenrimon.com

Instituto de Visión is a Colombian art gallery in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. institutodevision.com

Leon Tovar Gallery is a modern Latin American art gallery in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, whose home gallery is in Bogotá.

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Fernando Botero (1932-2023) is the most popular Latin artist in the art auctions. He used to have an apartment and studio in the Upper East Side. There are versions of his “Adam & Eve” in Time Warner Center. So many people touch Adam’s manhood that it is polished like gold. They say touching it brings good luck. Good luck!

Colombian Comedy

John Leguizamo is a New York Colombian comic and actor who made

Saulo Garcia is a Miami Colombian comic who does immigrant standup comedy shows at Repertorio Español.

Colombian Dance

Salsa Colombiana is a distinct style of dancing salsa that steps on all eight beats across the two measures. Cali is the self-proclaimed “Capital of Salsa.” Salsa is cultural there. Most Caleños dance, and dance very well.

Cali Salsa Pal Mundo is a Colombian salsa dance company and school in Jackson Heights, Queens. @calisalsanyc

ID Studio Theater is a community theater that teaches Colombian salsa and folklore in Mott Haven, The Bronx.

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Medellín, Colombia has strong tango culture.

Adriana Salgado and Orlando Reyes are U.S. tango champions from Colombia.

Colombian Fashion in New York City

Dayssi Olarte De Kanavos is New York’s most famous Colombian socialite. @dayssi.ok

Fashion Designers of Latin America (FDLA) usually presents some Colombian fashion designers during New York Fashion Week.

Colombian Food in NYC

Dulce Vida, in the Upper East Side, is Manhattan’s only Colombian restaurant/bakery. You can get a good Ajiaco there. You can’t get the famed soup at most Colombian restaurants because it’s a Bogotá speciality, whereas most Colombian restaurants in New York serve Medellín cuisine like Bandeja paisa.

Empanada Mama makes Colombian empanadas in the Lower East Side and Hell’s Kitchen. Colombian empanadas are fried, but not greasy. Pollos Mario fried chicken is a Colombian tradition for watching football (soccer).

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• Bogotá Latin Bistro
• Dulce Vida Latin Bistro
• Empanada Mama
• Mis Tierras Colombianas
• Pollos Mario *

Colombian Festivals in NYC

Colombian Parade, around Colombian Independence Day in July, is New York City’s big Colombian festival.

Festival de las Flores; in Jackson Heights, Queens; is the New York version of the Feria de las Flores in Medellín, Colombia.

ID Studio Theater teaches Colombian salsa and folklore in Mott Haven, The Bronx.

Colombian Film in NYC

Colombian Film Festival New York screens the latest Colombian movies in New York City.

Neighboring Scenes Latin American film festival, coproduced by Cinema Tropical at Film at Lincoln Center, usually includes some Colombian movies.

Colombian Government in NYC

Americas Society has good Colombian government connections.

Colombian Consulate is in Midtown East, Manhattan.

Colombian Permanent Mission to the United Nations is in Midtown East, Manhattan.

Proexport, the Colombian government trade organization, is in Midtown East, Manhattan.

Colombian Music in NYC

La Boom, the Latin night club, regularly hosts Colombian DJs in Woodside, Queens.

Terraza 7 is a Latin night club with a Colombian owner in Elmhurst, Queens.

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Alex Sensation is one of New York’s top Latin urban DJs.

Bulla en el Barrio is New York’s first bullerengue group. Bullerengue is a form of cumbia that derives from women’s puberty rites.

La Cumbiamba eNe Yé is a New York cumbia band.

Edmar Castaneda is a New York Colombian harpist who makes heavenly jazz inspired by the folk music of Colombia and Venezuela. 🇨🇴

La Excelencia is a New York salsa dura band popular with dancers. The bandleader is Colombian.

Gregorio Uribe is a cumbia and vallenato bandleader.

Grupo Rebolú is one of New York’s leading champeta bands.

Nilko Andreas is a concert guitarist who also plays cumbia.

Salt Cathedral is an electro pop band.

Colombian Theatre in NYC

ID Studio Theater is a Colombian arts collective; led by telenovela star Germán Jaramillo, jazz composer Pablo Mayor, and choreographer Daniel Fetecua (Limón); in Mott Haven, The Bronx.

Thalia Spanish Theatre regularly hosts salsa dance theatre in Sunnyside, Queens.

Colombian Sports in NYC

Millonarios NY is a soccer supporters club for Millonarios of Bogotá. @millonariosny

Colombian Culture

Colombians are a mix of Indigenous, Spanish, African, and Lebanese traditions.

Traditional Colombian culture includes: books, chocolate, coffee, cumbia, and vallenato.

Contemporary Colombian culture includes: salsa, reggaeton, telenovelas, and theatre.

Colombia has many distinct regions including Caribbean and Pacific coasts, Andes mountains, Llanos plains, and Amazon rainforests. The cultural diversity that goes with that is surprising for a single nation. It is also one of the world’s most biodiverse countries.

We think we are Spaniards, even though we are actually more Indigenous and African Diaspora.

Ironically the longest civil war in the Americas (since 1964) kept many regions from developing so old ways remain.

The Indigenous Gaita flute is beautiful. Colombians are proud of their Paso Fino horses. Most roses sold in the United States are grown in Colombia. Colombian coffee is very good.

Cumbia is originally Colombian from the Caribbean region.

Salsa Colombiana is also Caribbean, especially from Barranquilla, Atlantico, but is now centered in Cali, Valle de Cauca. Cali has a unique stage salsa culture.

There is a strong group of reggaetoneros, including some Puerto Ricans, in Medellín, Antioquia.

Medellín has strong tango culture. Paisas even speak Castellano like Argentines. Tango icon Carlos Gardel died in a plane crash on his way to a performance in Medellín.

Colombians are crazy for Christmas nativities. Moms compete to have the best one in the neighborhood.

• Bullerengue
• Champeta is based on Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat
• Cumbia
• Gaita flute
• Mapalé
• Reggaeton
• Salsa Colombiana
• Vallenato

Colombian Artists

Colombian Culture in New York City is a mix of Indigenous, Spanish, African, and Lebanese traditions.

Traditional Colombian culture includes: books, chocolate, coffee, cumbia, and vallenato.

Contemporary Colombian culture includes: salsa, reggaeton, telenovelas, and theatre.

Colombia has many distinct regions including Caribbean and Pacific coasts, Andes mountains, Llanos plains, and Amazon rainforests. The cultural diversity that goes with that is surprising for a single nation. It is also one of the world’s most biodiverse countries.

We think we are Spaniards, even though we are actually more Indigenous and African Diaspora.

Ironically the longest civil war in the Americas (since 1964) kept many regions from developing so old ways remain.

The Indigenous Gaita flute is beautiful. Colombians are proud of their Paso Fino horses. Most roses sold in the United States are grown in Colombia. Colombian coffee is very good.

Cumbia is originally Colombian from the Caribbean region.

Salsa Colombiana is also Caribbean, especially from Barranquilla, Atlantico, but is now centered in Cali, Valle de Cauca. Cali has a unique stage salsa culture.

There is a strong group of reggaetoneros, including some Puerto Ricans, in Medellín, Antioquia.

Medellín has strong tango culture. Paisas even speak Castellano like Argentines. Tango icon Carlos Gardel died in a plane crash on his way to a performance in Medellín.

Colombians are crazy for Christmas nativities. Moms compete to have the best one in the neighborhood.

• Bullerengue
• Champeta is based on Fela Kuti’s Afrobeat
• Cumbia
• Gaita flute
• Mapalé
• Reggaeton
• Salsa Colombiana
• Vallenato

Monsieur Periné is a Latin Grammy-winning Latin alternative band, from Bogotá that blends European pop into Afro-Colombian alternative. 🇨🇴

Colombia

Colombia is a large country at the border of North and South America.

Colombia has a variety of geographic regions including: Andes mountains, Caribbean coast, Pacific coast, Llanos plains, and Amazon jungle.

Most Colombians live in valleys of the three Andes mountain ranges that divide the country.

Colombia is known for its biodiversity. If you ever go, you will be surprised at how alive nature is.

Festivals in Colombia

Colombian Independence Day is July 20, 1810. 🇨🇴

Día de las Velitas, the Colombian festival of lights on December 7, commemorates the people lighting candles in anticipation on the eve of the Catholic church’s acceptance of the Immaculate Conception (divinity of women) on December 8, 1854.

Our Lady of Chiquinquirá, patron saint of Colombia, is celebrated on July 9.

La Novena de Aguinaldos is a 9-day prayer cycle that is an extra prayer for Christmas in the days before from December 16-24. 🇨🇴