A quick escape to Puerto Varas in Chile's Lakes Region is an invitation always too attractive to reject. This time its the 4th annual Rain Festival, which celebrates the arrival of the winter solstice every Southern Hemisphere winter. Time to put on the rain boots and enjoy the low season in southern Chile.
Many store fronts in this picturesque town were decorated for the occasion. Numerous schools, hotels and restaurants participated in the festival, which finished on June 24.
For Vicki Johnson, founder of the festival along with the Puerto Varas Tourism Corporation, the hundreds of umbrellas on display are almost like a Mandala, each individual creatively making their own umbrella in a way that somehow reflects their inner world.
The festival is a true catharsis for the town of Puerto Varas, which every year has more to offer tourists, rain or shine. Below some photos of this year's festival: