Argentina Independence Day. Patricio Jorge / pxhere / 2020 / CC0 1.0
The 9th of July is Argentina’s Independence Day, marking the day in 1816 when Argentina declared its independence from Spain.
Activities today
There are parades, speeches, and fireworks. The president of Argentina goes to celebrate in the town of Tucumán, where the declaration took place in a house which is now a museum, called Casa Histórica de la Independencia.
Throughout the country, there are family get-togethers.
A common greeting for today is “¡Feliz Día de la Independencia!” (Happy Independence Day).
The widest street in the world, found in Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires, is named “Avenida 9 de Julio” (Avenue July 9th). It has twelve lanes, six in each direction.
#9dejulio #IndependenciaArgentina
See also: World Malbec Day, Argentina National Anthem
Food for Independence Day Argentina
This is late autumn in Argentina, so the weather is cool. The season makes it the perfect weather for the dish traditionally served that day, which is a stew called “locro”. Featuring corn, squash and sweet potato, it is a New World dish, drawing a line between the cuisine of the New World and that of the Old World, with which Argentina was making a clean break. It is served at lunch, often with with Argentine Malbec wine.
At the end of the afternoon, sweet pastries called pastelitos filled with sweet potato or jam (often quince paste – “membrillo“) are served, along with mate, a typical Argentine tea.
To close the day, churros and hot chocolate are traditional.
Recipes: Chimichurri salsa
Language notes
In Spanish, the day is called both “El Dia de la Independencia” (The Day of Independence) and the “Nueve de Julio” (The 9th of July).
Sources
9 de Julio – Dia de la Independencia Argentina! Buenos Aires, Argentina: Mente Argentina. 6 July 2012. Accessed June 2021 at http://www.menteargentina.com/blog/9-de-julio-independencia-de-argentina/
Petruzzello, Melissa. Argentina Celebrates 200 Years of Independence. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 9 July 2016. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.britannica.com/story/argentina-celebrates-200-years-of-independence
Shipley, Will. Feriado Fun Facts: 9 de Julio (Independence Day). Buenos Aires, Argentina: The Bubble. 8 July 2016