As their busy schedule of high-level meetings and events gets underway in Lima, the 12,000-plus attendees to this week’s annual meeting of the IMF and World Bank will also be hoping to learn about Peruvian culture, cuisine and (of course) the national spirit Pisco. To that end, the event organizers have prepared a varied program of activities to be conducted in the very same venue hosting the IMF/WB delegates.

To kick off the week-long event, the visitors were treated to a variety of traditional dances and music from different parts of Peru, including diablada puneña, sikuris, ayarachis, marinera and other joyful dance performances from the country’s Amazon region.

But the mixed program goes beyond traditional Peruvian dances to include performances by local rock and hip-hop bands, and even a violin concerto. The icing on the cake will come in the form of Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flores, who will close the event with a gala concert.

[Options range from traditional Peruvian music and a gala concert featuring Juan Diego Flores to daily cooking shows and local rock bands. (Photo: Andina)]

The organizers have left no detail unattended and visitors will also be able to see (and more importantly: taste!) the best of Peruvian gastronomy. Cooking shows and demos featuring chefs Palmiro Ocampo, Rafael Piqueras, Jose del Castillo and Daniel Manrique will be held throughout the week. Needless to say, the cebiche will be one the “stars” of the food fest.

And to wash down these culinary delights, the house offers some of the best Pisco the Peruvian pisqueros –like José Moquillaza, Jorge Targarona and Guillermo Moncaliano– can produce.