The feast of Alasitas, which in Aymara means "buy," showcases beautifully made miniature objects from skilled local craftsmen at booths throughout the city.

Each Labor Day in La Paz, most businesses and government offices in La Paz close for Día Internacional Del Trabajo, a day of parades, demonstrations and other events honoring the daily worker.

Held on the day the earth is the farthest from the sun, Aymara New Year features ceremonies in the Valle de la Luna and Tiawanaku, which the Aymara consider one of their sacred places.

Also known as Dia de la Patria, this two-day celebration features patriotic marches, military parades, gun salutes, street dances and cultural events reflecting the rich heritage of Bolivia.

Todos Santos, or All Saints’ Day, is a day on which Bolivian families gather to welcome the returning dead with family feasts and ceremonies.

Each Christmas season, La Paz becomes a holiday wonderland, with shop windows decorated with Nativity scenes and Christmas trees and the streets filled with colored lights, street vendors and plenty of Christmas music. While their parents sell their crafts, children often roam the streets playing Christmas carols with native instruments like pinquillos (traditional flutes), charangos (small, 5-stringed guitars) and tarkas (square flutes).

This festive celebration to ring in the New Year features parties, parades and fireworks, with agricultural fairs in the rural areas.