What To Do In Cuenca Today And Friday

Cuenca has a useful little culture calendar for Thursday, June 25, and Friday, June 26.

The short version: there are free or low-cost things happening all over town, from artisan exhibits to live music. If you have visitors in town, or you just want a reason to get out of the house, this is a good two-day window.

Thursday, June 25

A few easy options:

• Manos que cuentan historias runs from 10:00 to 18:00 at Galeria Manos Azuayas. El Mercurio says the collective show brings together work by 13 artisans from Azuay, including textiles, paja toquilla, natural cosmetics, leather, chocolate, cocktails, goldsmithing, copper work and utilitarian design.
• A workshop called Mascara de danzante de Pujili con monedas starts at 11:00 at the Museo de la Moneda.
• Salsa de los 4 Rios por la Tri starts at 18:00 at Plaza de El Otorongo.
• Encuentro Sonoro, a conversation with the Cuenca group Algoritmo Morlaco, starts at 18:00 at the Casa Patrimonial Municipal del Artista.
• Galopa entre suenos, an exhibition by Patricia Cedeno, opens at 19:00 at the Casa Patrimonial Municipal de Las Posadas.
• Disco Stu plays a Fiesta de la Musica event at 20:00 at Moliendo Cafe.

Friday, June 26

Friday has a wider music spread:

• Lecturas que Curan starts at 15:00 at SOLCA.
• A Guitarra y Blues masterclass starts at 18:00 at the Casa Patrimonial Municipal del Artista.
• The Orquesta Sinfonica de Cuenca performs at 20:00 at Teatro Pumapungo under Andrea Vela, with Sorina Aust-Ioan as piano soloist. El Mercurio lists the program as Bernstein's Candide overture, Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Second Suite and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1. Entry is free.
• Fiesta de la Musica events continue at Chipotle, Bumba, Komodo / Casa Merced, Complejo Arqueologico Todos Santos and Plaza del Farol.

What This Means For You

For expats, the useful part is that several events are in familiar central venues and do not require complicated logistics. The symphony at Teatro Pumapungo is the easiest recommendation: free entry, a clear start time and a venue most taxi drivers know.

For the smaller music stops, check the venue's social channels before heading out, especially if rain is moving through town.

Source: El Mercurio