Events and Holidays
Ecuador is a country that certainly does not shy away from a party (farra) or celebration. Indeed, a month rarely passes without a major festival or a long weekend arising, giving way to spirited processions, colorful ceremonies, and lavish feasts. Due to the fact that Ecuador is over 90% Roman Catholic, most of the country's major holidays and celebrations follow the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. Boasting the year's most extravagant festivities, these holidays can often be appreciated best from highland indigenous villages where days of nonstop feasting, drinking, dancing, and performing ancient rituals give traditional Catholic holidays a distinctly Indian feel. Most of the remaining holidays are celebrated to commemorate important political or historical events and achievements.
However, while both types of holidays offer visitors an incredible glimpse at Ecuadorian culture and an unique opportunity to mingle with locals in an extraordinary way, they are also capable of virtually shutting the nation down from one to three days as banks and governmental offices close and popular tourist destinations become overrun.
January 1
New Year's Day
January 6
Three Kings Day (a.k.a. Epiphany)
February 12
Anniversary of the Discovery of the Amazon River
Province Day (Gal�pagos)
February 27
National Community Spirit Day
March and/or April
Carnival
Celebrated just before Lent, Carnival is the ultimate party in the Catholic nations of Latin American. While not as extravagant in Ecuador as in other Latin American countries, celebrations here include waterfights and lavish parades. In Ecuador, Carnival can best be enjoyed from Ambato, where the famous fruit and flower parade takes place, or, due to the waterfights, from any place warm. Although the dates change annually according to the religious calendar, Carnival is always celebrated as an extended weekend prior to Ash Wednesday.
Easter and Holy Week
Religious processions and an endless supply of fanesca (a delicious, typical stew eaten throughout the week) mark Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. While Holy Saturday is technically the only official holiday during which stores ought to be closed, which businesses are open for much of this week depends on the individual merchant. Please be advised that beaches can get packed during Holy Week.
May 1
Labor Day
Typical parades and processions fill the streets of Ecuador as workers worldwide are honored.
May 24
Battle of Pichincha
Military and civilian parades show the nation's pride of the day in 1822 when the country's most important battle in the war for independence from Spain was fought.
June
Corpus Cristi
Usually celebrated on the 9th Thursday after Easter, this religious holiday/traditional harvest celebration of the highlands includes ceremonies and dancing.
June 24
Saint John the Baptist
Celebrations in Otavalo and the surrounding highland communities.
June 29
Saints Peter and Paul
Celebrations in Otavalo and the surrounding highland communities.
July 24
Sim�n Bol�var's Birthday
A nationwide celebration of the birthday of South America's greatest liberator.
July 25
Founder's Day, Guayaquil
Guayaquil's biggest party is underway as the city shuts down for two days to celebrate Sim�n Bol�var's birthday and the foundation of Ecuador's most populous city.
August 10
Quito Independence Day
September
Various harvest festivals throughout the country
September 23-24
Our Lady of Mercy Festival (Latacunga)
Parades and parties follow religious processions.
October 9
Guayaquil Independence Day
Once again, Guayaquil combines holidays (Independence Day and Columbus Day) to ensure a multi-day festival.
October 12
Columbus Day
Also known as "D�a de la Raza" (Day of the Race), Columbus Day celebrates the day in 1492 on which Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Col�n) first set foot on American soil in what is now known as the Dominican Republic.
September 1-15
Fiesta del Yamor
An annual festival in the highland town of Otavalo.
November 1
All Saints' Day
November 2
All Soul's Day (a.k.a. "Day of the Dead")
All Soul's Day is a day during which families visit cemeteries to dance, drink, eat, and leave flowers and other offerings for deceased friends and relatives in a convivial ceremony designed to celebrate the lives of those who have past on.
November 3
Cuenca Independence Day
The culmination of three days of festivities, this is the final day of Cuenca's biggest annual celebration.
November 11
Latacunga Independence Day
December 6
Founder's Day, Quito
The air in Quito takes on a more festive spirit throughout the first week of December as Quite�os take in bullfights, watch parades, attend street dances, and ride around Quito atop Chivas (open-air party buses complete with live music and drinks). Also known as "D�as de Quito" (Quito Days), this week, in reality, is just the opening act to a month-long gala for many.
December 24
Christmas Eve
December 25
Christmas Day
December 28-31
Year's End Celebrations
Staring with the Day of the Innocents, the entire nation symbolically prepares to enter a new year by burning human figurines in the streets as Quite�os end a nearly month-long party.
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