Events in Ecuador to plan for

Ecuador is a country of great cultural variety, unique customs and charm heightened by a wealth of festivities. Most of them are strongly connected with pre-colonial cultures, religious practices or some events in national history. If it’s the Inti Raymi when the Sun God is worshipped or the joyous carnivals, people’s glory is always magnified by the occasion.

The arts form an integral part of every Ecuadorian festival, as does music and food, while large crowds congregate in various public locations such as plaza or in the streets. August is a month marked by one of the busiest national holidays, Independence Day, which is celebrated with a lot of pomp and fireworks.

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Inti Raymi - The Festival of the Sun 

Inti Raymi also known as the Festival of the Sun has for many years been observed as one of the most revered celebrations amongst the natives of Ecuador. The festival which takes place in late June around the period of the summer solstice celebrates the Incan sun god, Inti and is also a time of harvest. This is the case in areas such as Otavalo and Cotacachi where colorful festivals accompanied by traditional music and other rituals are held as a way of preserving the heir of the Andean history. Local and tourists alike dance in bright costumes reenacting ancestor practices while friends and families come together to appreciate abundance of the earth.

Día de los Difuntos

On the second of November every year, Ecuadorians observe the Día de los Difuntos, or Day of the Dead, which is an occasion to pay their respect to the dead. Members of the household go to the graveyards with food such as guagüitas de pan and also colada morada, which are types of bread and purple wrapper respectively. This day is for contemplation, family reunions, and reconnecting with the deceased ones.