that it rivals with its enormous natural and geographic diversity. Being a multi ethnic country, its cultural variety is reflected, among many ways, on its folklore and popular fiestas. On each one of the regions, cities and villages, throughout the year, an admirable array of festivities and events take place. Visitors will marvel at the colorfulness of the dresses and outfits, the rituals full of symbols and characters extracted from the most ancient traditions, or those brought in by the Christian and Hispanic culture…
Among the most colorful and notorious celebrations one can mention the “Corpus” fiestas, the Sanjuanes on the northern province of Imbabura, the Aruchicos in Cayambe or Pomasqui, just north of Quito; the “Danzantes” (The “Dancers”) of Pujilí in the central highlands (their dresses and outfits being astonishingly impressive); the famed “Mama Negra”; the festivities of “El Chagra” (the local Andean cowboys) in Machachi, the Carnivals of Ambato and Guaranda; the unique and massive Good Friday processions of Quito and Guayaquil; the “Montubio” (coastal countrymen) Rodeos with their dances and ingenious verses; the aquatic processions along some rivers on the afro-Ecuadorian northerly province of Esmeraldas; the rituals and traditions of Year’s End (New Year’s Eve) throughout Ecuador….
These are all popular festivals full of color and tradition which mix the religious with the pagan, the sacred with the profane but always within a frame of historic traditions, happiness and merry atmosphere, music, dance, typical food and beverage.