The eighth Peach Festival opened today in Río Chiquito, a community in the San Ignacio district of Chalatenango Norte. Local producers and tourism operators host the two-day event through Sunday centered on the peach harvest in the northern highlands.
The festival features guided tours of peach and strawberry farms, where visitors learn cultivation practices and pick fruit straight from the trees. Participating producers and cooks sell and serve peach-based products such as jams, desserts, natural drinks, wood-fired sweet breads, preserves, peaches in syrup and pupusas filled with local fruits. Some stands also offer peach wine made in the area.
Tour operators provide packages that include transportation from other parts of the country, local guides and stops at nearby viewpoints and natural sites along the Río Chiquito. The highland location sits at higher elevation than lowland areas, which brings cooler temperatures and supports the fruit production that defines the event.
Festival board president Miguel Salguero, owner of Rancho Escondido restaurant, issued an open invitation to residents and visitors from San Ignacio, La Palma, Citalá and surrounding communities. He said people had asked about the dates, which led organizers to make the public call to attend.
Municipal authorities, local institutions and sponsors support the gathering. Farmers, artisans, traditional cooks and tourism entrepreneurs take part. The event directs visitor spending to families who grow the fruit and run small businesses tied to the harvest and hospitality.
Chalatenango lies in northern El Salvador. Its northern highland zone, including the San Ignacio area, has long produced fruit suited to the milder climate found at elevation. Harvest-timed activities like this one form part of broader steps to develop rural tourism that connects travelers with agricultural communities and scenic mountain settings.
The festival continues Sunday with the same farm tours, food stalls and direct contact between producers and visitors. Organizers have worked with local government on logistics and road safety measures ahead of expected attendance
