The Calle del Pico: Barranquilla’s New Cultural Heritage
Barranquilla has added a new space to its cultural map with the restoration of the so-called Calle del Pico, a site located at Calle 30 and Carrera 22 in the Rebolo neighborhood that seeks to turn the pico tradition into a cultural experience for residents and visitors. The project restored an alley and transformed it into an open-air museum, featuring visual elements that evoke figures, musical groups, and places connected to the city’s popular history.
The initiative highlights one of the most distinctive musical expressions of Colombia’s Caribbean region: the large sound systems known as picos. More than devices used to play music, these machines have for decades been central to street parties, community gatherings, and popular celebrations, particularly in Barranquilla’s neighborhoods.
The new street seeks to recognize this legacy and provide a point of reference for understanding a tradition that brings together music, painting, celebration, memory, and neighborhood identity. For cultural organizers involved in this tradition, having a space dedicated to the pico makes it possible to showcase a part of Barranquilla’s history that for years remained primarily rooted in the streets and community celebrations.
Calle del Pico in Barranquilla declared cultural heritage: An open-air museum in the heart of Rebolo
One of the main attractions of Calle del Pico is its visual concept. The space has been decorated with images and representations of figures associated with Barranquilla’s cultural history, particularly those connected to Rebolo. Among those honored are singer Nelson Pinedo, María Moñitos, the cumbia groups El Gallo Giro and La Revoltosa, and the former Estadero La Cien.
The transformation of the alley is intended to allow visitors not only to learn about pico culture, but also to experience it through a combination of visual elements and historical references. In this way, the street serves as a kind of journey through the city’s musical and festive memory.
The initiative also responds to a need expressed for years by members of the pico community: having a place where local and international audiences can learn about the origins of this tradition and its influence on Barranquilla’s cultural life.
The project also has a tourism component. Like other urban spaces that have become landmarks for particular musical traditions, Calle del Pico could become a meeting point for visitors interested in discovering a less conventional side of Barranquilla, one more closely connected to its neighborhoods and popular culture.
@lacalledelpico Salsa En El Bordillo En La Calle Del Picó. #salsabaul #salsabarranquillera #musicasalsa ♬ Ay Caray – Adalberto Santiago
The history of a tradition that predates champeta
Although picos are now closely associated with champeta, their history dates back to before the genre became established. The earliest sound systems featured a much broader repertoire that included salsa, coastal Colombian music, vallenato, and different sounds from abroad. Over the years, the arrival of African music further expanded the sonic universe of these machines.
The evolution of the sound systems was also accompanied by an aesthetic transformation. Picos began to stand out not only for their power, but also for their designs, colors, and names. Their wooden structures and massive speakers became canvases for striking images, characters, and symbols that made each machine recognizable.
This visual dimension gave rise to what is now known as picotero art. The paintings, often created with vivid colors and large-scale compositions, eventually turned the sound systems into distinctive pieces of popular culture. As a result, the identity of a pico depends not only on the music it plays, but also on its appearance and the story it represents.
Over time, the tradition adapted to new technologies, and smaller sound systems known popularly as turbos emerged. However, technological changes did not eliminate the essence of the practice: music continues to bring communities together and create spaces for dancing and celebration.
@costenoconsaborapico pico turbo sonido de la costa colombiana #picoturbo #culturapicotera #culturapicoterabaranquilla #parti #champetachallenge #champetaafricana #champeta_africana #exitopicotero #oyelo #verbena #vacile #barranquilla #sincelejo #santamarta #costeñosenbogota🤠😁 #costeñosenlanevera #costeñosenmedellin #costeño #mujerescosteñas #mamascosteñas #costeños #monteria #cerete #cienegadeoro #lorica ♬ sonido original – costeñoconsaborapico
Picos, street parties and Carnival: A tradition spanning generations
The history of picos is also closely connected to Barranquilla’s popular festivities. For much of the 20th century, neighborhood street parties, known as verbenas, relied on these sound systems to provide the music for their celebrations. According to Édgar Blanco, director of Carnaval de la 44, Carnival dances were closely associated with picos roughly five decades ago.
Before live musical groups became more prominent at these celebrations, the sound systems served a similar function to that of a full band. Their power allowed music to be played in open spaces and brought large groups of people together around dancing.
That connection remains alive today. At the beginning of September, for example, Calle del Pico hosted an event organized to commemorate Heritage Month, featuring a large cumbia gathering that brought together 25 cumbiambas and nearly 1,000 participants, including musicians, dancers, and community members.
The event showed that the space is not intended solely to display elements of the past, but also to keep alive the cultural expressions that remain part of everyday life in Barranquilla.