Fiestas

Skilled dancers of all ages will compete this morning for best in class prizes at Parque de la Madre, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event, sponsored by the national sports ministry, will include a wide variety of dances and music. A dance floor has been set up at the south end of the...

The ninth edition of Cuenca’s Festival Escenarios del Mundo, or International Theater Festival, begins Wednesday, September 16, with a parade through the historic district and the performance of the Mexican comedy, “Más pequeños que el Guggenheim” at 8 p.m. at the Pumapungo Theater. The parade begins at 6 p.m. at Santo Domingo Plaza, heading east...

It was an evening of spoofs and satire at Tuesday’s Mascaradas de Inocentes parade. Politicians, government policies, television personalities, expats, and even the dead, were lampooned during the three-hour procession down Cuenca’s Av. Huayna Capac. The parade, sponsored by the Cuenca Amistad Club and the Azuay journalists’ union, attracted a crowd estimated at 25,000 by...

One of the world’s largest orchid growers says Ecuador needs to do a better job promoting the industry and a Japanese orchid expert agrees. “All we lack is the government support to make Ecuador the top destination for orchids,” says José “Pepe” Portilla, manager Ecuagenera, a massive orchid growing operation between Cuenca and Gualaceo. By...

Cuenca’s fourth annual Festival de Cine La Orquídea kicks off tomorrow morning at 11 with opening ceremonies at the Mall del Rio convention center. Guest of honor is award-winning Spanish director David Trueba and the Spanish actresses Carmen Maura, Victoria Abril and Ariadna Gil. A highlight of the festival will be the Ecuador premiere of...

Thousands of spectators will be treated to a fast-paced variety show of law enforcement skills and talents in Alejandro Serrano stadium beginning at 10 this morning. Event sponsors expect a crowd of 18,000 to attend demonstrations of crime fighting techniques as well as gymnastics, acrobatic and dog and horse performances. The show, which is an...

Although the date of Cuenca’s independence from Spain doesn’t arrive officially until Monday, holiday activities are already in full swing. Vendors of crafts, housed in white tents along Av. Doce de Abril, have been busy making sales since Tuesday. Doce de Abril sidewalks will get even busier tomorrow when artisans sponsored by the Inter-American Center...

Cuenca tourism officials say they expect 50,000 tourists to visit the city over the three-day Guayaquil independence holiday weekend. They say that all public museums and historic attractions will be open. The Cuenca Hotel Association says that that most hotels are fully booked and they expect ones that are not to be full Friday and...

Cuenca’s Foundation Holidays kicked off officially Thursday night with a parade on Av. Loja. Police estimate that about 10,000 turned out for the event. The holidays mark the 457th anniversary of Cuenca’s founding by the Spanish. In November, there’s an even larger celebration as the city commemorates the date when the Spanish were kicked out...

It was noisy and it was slimy last night in Parque Calderon as two to three thousand Cuencanos, tourists and expats gathered for the kick-off of Carnival. The crowd was treated to fireworks, music, dances and foam fights. Four pyrotechnic castles were ignited, spending rockets into the sky and sparks into the crowd. Vendors sold...