Ecuador: Events

Being a Roman Catholic country, many of Ecuador's festivals are oriented to the liturgical calendar.

All Souls' Day (November 2) is especially colorful with flower-laying ceremonies at cemeteries - the ambience is more celebratory than somber. Other holidays of historical interest are Simón Bolívar's Birthday (July 24) and the founding of Quito, celebrated in December with bullfights, parades and street dances. The pre-Easter Carnaval features water fights, and fruit and flower festivals. Corpus Christi (June) combines with traditional harvest fiestas in many highland towns.

The larger cities' founding and independence days bring them to a hard-partying standstill. Some of the biggest are in Guayaquil, Otavalo, Cuenca and Quito, though every town and village also has its special day. Shops, offices and services are closed during holidays and festivals, and accommodation and transportation options are often packed; book well in advance.