New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is celebrated with giant effigies all along Amazonas Street. People dress up with masks and men dress as women, holding ropes across the streets to stop cars and get change out of motorists. The effigies are set on fire at around midnight.
Carnival - February
This four day weekend to mark the start of Lent is an excuse to engage in waterfights throughout the country. The best place to get wet is in Salinas de Guaranda. The beach is also a busy place at this time as well. Ambato celebrates its annual fruit and flower festival during Carnival.
Easter and Holy Week
During Easter be sure to try fanesca, a delicious, typical thick soup made with anywhere from 12 to 36 different types of grains, it’s only eaten at this time of year. On Good Friday a procession takes place throughout the old center (Centro Historico).
Corpus Cristi - June
This moveable date in June is usually celebrated on the 9th Thursday after Easter. This religious holiday/traditional harvest celebration of the highlands includes ceremonies and dancing. The best place to watch the parades and festivities is on the Saturday in the town of Pujilí which is outside Latacunga.
La Virgen de las Mercedes or Mama Negra - September 23 and 24
This festival is celebrated in Latacunga on September 23 and 24. There are processions, costumes and traditional dancing with Andean music. There is also a big parade in honour of Mama Negra on November 11, also the date of the Independence of Latacunga.
All Soul’s Day or also called Day of the Dead - November 2
All Soul's Day is a day when families visit cemeteries to dance, drink, eat, and leave flowers and other offerings for deceased friends and relatives.
Cuenca’s Independence Day - November 3
A day of celebration in the town of Cuenca with parades, military parades, special church services, dancing and festivals.
Quito’s Independence Day of Quito - December 6
The last week leading up to December 6 is celebrated throughout Quito with parades and most notably the bull fights. The bull fights take place every day at noon at the Bull Stadium (Plaza de Toros) for a full week. People also ride on the roofs of the chivas (open air buses) with live bands playing local music.
