The Golden Congo (Spanish: ) is a Colombian music award that since its founding in 1969 has been presented annually at the Orchestra Festival (Spanish: ) of the Barranquilla Carnival.
Until recently, the Golden Congo award comprised six genre prizes: Vallenato (since 1978), Merengue (since 1994), Tropical (since 1994), Salsa (since 1994), Urbano (since 2012), Folk (1992–4, and again since 2018), and four additional prizes: Newcomer, Best Vocalist, Best Instrumentalist and ("What's Ours"). Since 2025, only one Golden Congo is awarded each year.
Winners 2024–2026 Since the 2025 Orchestra Festival, only one Golden Congo is awarded each year.
Year Winner 2nd place 3rd place 2026 Dolcey Miguel Gutiérrez Akanny Encanto Millero 2025 Byordy La Charanga del Sur Luismi Yánez
In 2024 the Barranquilla Carnival celebrated its 20th incarnation since being proclaimed intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2003. As part of the celebrations, the Orchestra Festival did not hold a competition for the Golden Congo, but instead awarded one to every performer.
Year Recipients of a Golden Congo 2024 La Orquesta Internacional de la Policía, Gaiteros de San Jacinto Nueva Generación, Zona 8 Orquesta, Mary Ángel Sanabria, Tubará Reggae, Dionis K da Uno, Son del Sabor, Orquesta Klasica de Ibagué, Los Diferentes del Vallenato, Rafa Pérez, Omar Enrique, Will Fiorillo, La Carmen, Álvaro Ricardo, Cris & Ronny
2012–2023 In 2012 Golden Congos for "best performance" (Spanish: variations on or ) and "urbano music" were given for the first time, and the "newcomer" (Spanish: ) prize was reintroduced. In 2016 the Golden Congo for performance was split into separate prizes for vocalists and instrumentalists, and in 2018 "folk" was reintroduced as a genre category.
On the 50th anniversary of the Orchestra Festival in 2019 no awards were given; instead, past competitors and winners returned to perform at the festival, including Los Corraleros de Majagual, Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Pacho Galán, Checo Acosta, Juan Piña, , Sergio Vargas, , Eddy Herrera, Bazurto All Stars, and Jorge Oñate. In 2021 there was no Barranquilla Carnival due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the Orchestra Festival held a virtual event featuring past performances.
Year Vallenato Merengue Tropical Salsa Urbano Folk Newcomer Best Vocalist Best Instrumentalist 2023 Juan Sajona and Ricardo Oñate Terranova Orquesta Orquesta Klásica de Ibagué Charanga Joven Juanda Caribe Gaiteros de San Jacinto Nueva Generación Yeison Landero Ricardo Oñate Daniel Vega Franco — 2022 Dionis K-Da Uno Súper Combo Latino Óscar Prince C-Tambó Juanda Caribe Caliope Joan Camilo Silvera — 2021 Festival cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 Fausto Chatela Kumbelé Orquesta Súper Combo Latino de Montería Ray Palacio Willy Fiorillo Las Alegres Ambulancias Bahía Sokus Estefanie Mercedes Jorge Antonio Negrette — 2019 No awards given, as past winners were honoured for the festival's 50th anniversary. 2018 Fello Zabaleta RH Positivo La Nómina del Pin Charanga del Sur Bazurto All Star Linica Danny Daniel Nayo Cumbia Caribe 2017 Evelyn Kumbelé Orquesta La Nómina del Pin Fausto Chatela Grupo Scala — — Fausto Chatela Wendy Corzo La Banda de Nayo 2016 Dyonell Velásquez Los Inéditos La Nómina del Pin Johnny "El Bravo" López Bazurto All Stars — — Andrés Prado (from the group of "El Bravo") Dyonell Velásquez (accordion) La Banda de Nayo Nayo (flute) Year Vallenato Merengue Tropical Salsa Urbano Folk Newcomer Best Performance 2015 Andrés Ariza Villazón & Luis Campillo Bandola Orquesta Edwin Gómez Bandola Orquesta Mr. Black — Dyonnel Velásquez Nayo C-Tambó 2014 & Elías Mendoza Sergio Vargas Voces de Billo Hoy Pachalo y su Son Cubano Africaribe — Bandé Orquesta Rafael Gavilán Pachalo La Banda de Nayo 2013 — La Nómina del Pin Orquesta Broadway de Cuba Kevin Flórez — Fausto Chatela Miguel Romero Álvaro Ricardo 2012 Iván Villazón Bonny Cepeda La Nómina del Pin Danny Daniel Punto G — Orquesta Bareke Elías Mendoza Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto "—" denotes no award given or no information available.
1995–2011 In 1995 the categories "newcomer" and "folk group" were discontinued, and a prize was introduced called the "" (English: rescuing what is ours prize). It later became known as simply "Lo Nuestro", and at one point as "Lo Nuestro 'Roberto de Castro'".
Year Vallenato Merengue Tropical Salsa 2011 Kvrass Wilfrido Vargas Álvaro Ricardo Orquesta de la Policía Nacional Punto G 2010 Iván Villazón Eddy Herrera Checo Acosta y su Orquesta Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz Álvaro Ricardo 2009 Jorge Celedón RH Positivo Checo Acosta Andy Montañez Totó la Momposina 2008 Peter Manjarrés Bananas Gran Orquesta del Carnaval Estrellas de Niche Fusión Orquesta 2007 Iván Villazón Milly Quezada Checo Acosta Adolescente Cumbia Caribe 2006 Peter Manjarrés Los Vecinos Son de Ovejas Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz — 2005 Iván Villazón Eddy Herrera Fusión Atlántico José Alberto "El Canario" — 2004 — Eddy Herrera Checo Acosta Trabuko — 2003 — — Fusión Orquesta Kimbombó Son de Ovejas 2002 — RH Positivo Jacaranda Show Kimbombó Son Mocaná 2001 — RH Positivo Shekeré Orquesta Kimbombó La Franja 2000 — Factor RH Fascinación Caribe Guayacán Orquesta La Franja 1999 — La Clave Checo Acosta Grupo Niche — 1998 Iván Villazón & Franco Argelles Los Generales Joe Arroyo with La Matica de Patilla Grupo Clase Checo Acosta 1997 Iván Villazón and Franco Argelles La Clave (national) Joe Arroyo Grupo Niche (national) Checo Acosta and Kinito Méndez (external) Cohiba de Cuba (external) 1996 Binomio de Oro La Clave (national) Checo Acosta — — (external) 1995 Iván Villazón & Franco Argelles Bananas Joe Arroyo (national) Grupo Niche (national) Zoila Nieto Eddie Herrera (external) Irakere (external) "—" denotes no award given or no information available.
1994 In 1994 prizes for the musical genres of merengue, tropical, and salsa were introduced, in place of "orchestra" and "ensemble". 1994 was also the last year that "newcomer" and "folk group" were awarded until their return in 2012 and 2018 respectively.
Year Vallenato/Accordion Merengue Tropical Salsa Newcomer Folk Group 1994 Los Betos Grupo Bananas Checo Acosta El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico La Clave Swing Barranquilla
1989–1993 In 1989 the category of "newcomer" (Spanish: ) was awarded for the first time, and in 1992 "folk group" (Spanish: ) was introduced as a category; both were discontinued after 1994 and reintroduced in the 2010s.
Year Orchestra Ensemble/Group Vallenato/Accordion Newcomer Folk Group 1993 Grupo Niche (national) Julio Rojas & Joaco Pertuz Los Alfa 8 Juan Piña La Sonora Ponceña (external) 1992 Los Inéditos (national) — Binomio de Oro — Son Cartagena Oscar De León (external) 1991 Los Inéditos Nando Pérez (tropical) Binomio de Oro Joseíto Martínez — Grupo Niche (salsa) 1990 Los Tupamaros (national) Grupo Raíces Diomedes Díaz La Innovación — Josie Esteban y la Patrulla 15 (external) 1989 Pacho Galán Joe Arroyo (tropical) Binomio de Oro Los Tímidos — Grupo Clase (external) "—" denotes no award given or no information available.
1978–1988 In 1978 the category of "vallenato" was introduced, which was also sometimes awarded as "accordion". The "ensemble" prize was occasionally awarded as "group" (Spanish: ) instead. From 1981 the ensemble prize was regularly split by either genre (tropical/salsa) or by nationality.
Year Orchestra Ensemble/Group Vallenato/Accordion 1988 Joe Arroyo (national) Los Inéditos Binomio de Oro Los Tupamaros (national) 1987 Pacho Galán Joe Arroyo (national) Binomio de Oro Wilfrido Vargas (external) 1986 Hermanos Martelo Joe Arroyo (national) Los Hermanos ZuletaWilfrido Vargas (external) 1985 Los Caribes Joe Arroyo (national) Jorge Oñate Johnny Ventura & Los Vecinos (external) 1984 Hermanos Martelo Joe Arroyo (national) Jorge Oñate Johnny Ventura & Los Vecinos (external) 1983 Hermanos Martelo Juan Piña (tropical) Diomedes Díaz Cuco Valoy (salsa) 1982 Pacho Galán (tropical) El Doble Poder Wilfrido Vargas (salsa) 1981 Pacho Galán Juan Piña (tropical) Jorge Oñate Cuco Valoy (salsa) 1980 Los Melódicos Juan Piña Alfredo Gutiérrez 1979 Los Melódicos Pastor López y sus famosas Caleñas Jorge Oñate 1978 Pacho Galán Fruko y sus Tesos Binomio de Oro
1969–1977 From 1969 to 1977 the only categories were "orchestra" (Spanish: ) and "ensemble" (Spanish: ). Year Orchestra Ensemble 1977 Pacho Galán Adolfo Echeverría 1976 Los Caribes Alfredo Gutiérrez 1975 Hermanos Martelo 1974 Pacho Galán Fruko y sus Tesos 1973 Lucho Bermúdez Nelson Henríquez 1972 Los Melódicos Afrocombo (small orchestra) 1971 Hermanos Martelo Los Graduados 1970 Hermanos Martelo La Sonora Matancera 1969 Billo's Caracas Boys Los Corraleros de Majagual
Special awards Occasionally special Golden Congos are given to recognise particular achievements.
The Super Congo The Super Congo (also called the or the Supercongo) was created in 1990 specifically to honour Joe Arroyo, who had won a Golden Congo at each of the 6 preceding festivals. Since then the Super Congo has been awarded several times.
+ Recipients of a Super Congo Year Recipient 1990 Joe Arroyo 1991 Los Hermanos Rosario 1998 Shakira 2013 Checo Acosta 2014 Grupo Niche Jorge Oñate 2026 Aníbal Velásquez
Twice a (King of the People) has been crowned at the Orchestra Festival, decided by a public vote.
Year Recipient 2014 Martín Elías & Juancho De la Espriella 2015 Cuco Valoy
Platinum congo Since 2025 a Platinum Congo () has been awarded via audience applause.
Year Recipient 2025 Orquesta La Máxima 2026 Martín Elías Jr.
Unique awards Some Golden Congos have only been given once. In 1985 Alejo Durán was awarded the "Special Congo" (Spanish: ). In 1989 Alfredo de la Fe won a Golden Congo for "Best Solo Artist". In 1994 Cristian del Real received an honourable mention as the "boy genius of the timbal."
Related awards Golden Congos are also given for floats and dancers that take part in the Battle of the Flowers parade of the Barranquilla Carnival.
Night of Orchestras At the Barranquilla Carnival Night of Orchestras (Spanish: ) a jury awards Golden Congos in the same genre categories as the Orchestra Festival, and in addition awards the "Antonio María Peñaloza" prize for an unpublished song. The competition at the Night of Orchestras is open to musicians and groups from Barranquilla and the surrounding region.
The awards at the Night of Orchestras were first given in 2018, and the winners received automatic entry to the competition at the Orchestra Festival that year. In 2019 no competition was held at the Orchestra Festival, and since then winners at the Night of Orchestras have been granted entry to the Orchestra Festival the following year, as opposed to the same year.