Festival de Viña 2025 Kicks Off with Star-Studded Opening Night

VIÑA DEL MAR, Chile — The highly anticipated Festival de Viña del Mar 2025 officially begins this evening, February 23, featuring co-hosts Karen Doggenweiler and Rafael Araneda. The festival’s inaugural night promises an exciting lineup of international and local artists, including the renowned Puerto Rican singer, Marc Anthony.

The festival, set to run until February 28, showcases a fresh format, incorporating structural changes in its competitions and adjusting show times. This year’s broadcast will start early at 9:15 p.m. (local time) on Mega, allowing audiences to enjoy a full evening of entertainment as the event draws significant attention from music fans across Latin America.

As the opening act, Marc Anthony is expected to deliver a captivating performance, featuring his popular salsa and ballad songs. Known for hits like ‘Vivir mi vida,’ this is Anthony’s fourth time performing at the festival, having previously graced the stage in 2009, 2012, and 2019.

Following Anthony’s performance, Venezuelan comedian George Harris takes the stage, eager to entertain the notoriously challenging audience known as the ‘Monstruo.’ Harris, who has lived in the United States for 14 years, expressed excitement despite past controversies related to comments about Chilean political figures, stating, “We have many things that unite us… and we must not allow negativity to divide us.”

Closing the first night is the popular duo Bacilos, famous for their early 2000s hits like ‘Caraluna’ and ‘Mi primer millón.’ In addition to their performance, Bacilos will also serve as judges in the festival’s International and Folkloric Competitions.

The Festival de Viña del Mar, regarded as one of the largest Latin music festivals globally, takes place at the scenic Quinta Vergara amphitheater, which accommodates up to 15,000 spectators. This year, the festival seeks to enhance the viewing experience with digital platforms alongside traditional broadcasts. Audiences can tune in through Mega and other streaming services to enjoy all the performances from anywhere in the world.

As excitement builds for the following nights, which will feature a diverse roster of artists including Myriam Hernández, Edo Caroe, Incubus, and Duki, ticket sales continue to attract significant interest. Many tickets have already sold out, although a limited number remain available for specific nights, particularly February 24 and February 27.

Fans and attendees alike are looking forward to what promises to be a spectacular kickoff to the six-night festival of music, humor, and vibrant performances amid the picturesque backdrop of Viña del Mar.