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. Therefore, what visitors get from holidays is entirely dependent upon how well they plan. Knowing when the holidays are, finding out where most people are heading during the holidays, deciding where you want to be accordingly, and planning ahead so that you're not left without transportation or accommodations come festivity time are the keys to enjoying the best celebrations and festivals that Ecuador has to offer.

In order to help you better plan your trip and your holiday plans, we have provided you with a list of Ecuador's major holidays, celebrations, and festivities. The list is by no means comprehensive as many small communities and villages have celebrations and festivities apart from those listed below. For a general description of other Ecuadorian festivals and celebrations, please refer to our festivals page and our indigenous markets page. Nevertheless, the most important holidays are included below along with the dates they officially fall on and a brief description of the types of festivities that are usually involved in the celebrations. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are officially recognized and observed holidays during which most governmental and commercial enterprises close. However, because very little goes by the book in Ecuador, these holidays are rarely celebrated on a fixed date. Generally speaking, if an officially recognized holiday falls on a weekend, it could be observed on the preceding Friday or the proceeding Monday. If an officially recognized holiday is scheduled for midweek, it is sometimes moved to the preceding Monday or the proceeding Friday, as well, in order to make a longer weekend. Unfortunately, these decisions are normally not made until the last minute and it is not unusual for Ecuadorians to find out when a holiday will be observed one day beforehand. Accordingly, your best bet in these situations is to keep asking around, especially at banks or governmental offices.

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 (Galápagos)

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.

Some of the year's more festive celebrations take place in Holy Week when traditional religious processions give way to marathon feasts.

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
Simón Bolívar'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 Simón Bolívar'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.

Whether it's time to celebrate Carnival or a harvest festival, the small towns of the highlands are the place to be.

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 "Día de la Raza" (Day of the Race), Columbus Day celebrates the day in 1492 on which Christopher Columbus (Cristobal Colón) 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 Quiteños 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 "Días 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 Quiteños end a nearly month-long party.