th ▁and ▁celebr ations ▁begin ▁the ▁afternoon ▁of ▁T ues day ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁and ▁continue ▁until ▁Sunday ▁the ▁ 2 2 nd . ▁It ▁is ▁held ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁spring ▁equ ino x ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Hem is phere ▁so ▁it ▁doubles ▁as ▁a ▁spring ▁festival . ▁Chile ' s ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁happened ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁February . ▁Most ▁schools ▁and ▁jobs ▁declare ▁a ▁week - long ▁vac ation ▁for ▁the ▁hol iday . ▁This ▁day ▁is ▁very ▁important ▁to ▁the ▁Chile an ▁people ▁because ▁they ▁are ▁celebr ating ▁their ▁freedom ▁from ▁Spanish ▁rule . ▁ ▁Activ ities ▁The ▁celebr ation ▁of ▁F iest as ▁Pat rias ▁is ▁an ▁expression ▁of ▁Chile an ▁culture . ▁Trad itional ▁activities ▁associated ▁with ▁the ▁Die cio cho ▁include ▁Chile an ▁rode o , ▁dan cing ▁the ▁c ue ca , ▁going ▁to ▁fond as , ▁and ▁bar bec ue . ▁Official ly , ▁activities ▁on ▁September ▁eigh teen ▁are ▁centered ▁on ▁a ▁religious ▁celebr ation ▁" Te ▁De um ▁E c um én ico ▁de ▁F iest as ▁Pat rias ". ▁This ▁ceremony , ▁which ▁is ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁and ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Santiago , ▁has ▁taken ▁place ▁since ▁ 1 8 1 1 ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁started ▁by ▁José ▁Miguel ▁Car rera . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁President ▁Salvador ▁All ende ▁asked ▁that ▁the ▁celebr ation ▁become ▁more ▁ec umen ical , ▁en comp ass ing ▁the ▁diverse ▁religious ▁belief