11 Things to Do in Cuenca This Weekend, May 14–15 — Mostly Free

Big arts weekend in Cuenca. Most of these are free. A few worth circling:

Thursday, May 14

Final Batalla de Bandas Juveniles — youth band finals. Casa de la Cultura Núcleo del Azuay (Teatro), 5 p.m. Free.

"Entre hilos y puntos de fuga" — art exhibition opens. Casa Patrimonial Municipal Márquez, 6 p.m.

"Pukuna / Deformaciones" — inauguration of the Kunanmi sculpture hall. Museo Culturas Aborígenes, 7 p.m. Free.

Réquiem de John Rutter — full orchestral requiem in one of Cuenca's most acoustically loaded churches. Iglesia La Merced, 7:30 p.m.

Cineclub Fans del Miedo (cycle 2: Latin American horror) — film projection. Casa Patrimonial Municipal del Artista, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 15

Minitaller gastronómico — cooking mini-workshop. Casa Patrimonial Municipal de Las Posadas, 2:30 p.m.

Vitrinas en Movimiento — art, music, and dance crossover. Casa de la Cultura Núcleo del Azuay, 6 p.m. Free.

Book launch: "La familia es todo, salvo sagrada" — Biblioteca Municipal Daniel Córdova Toral, 7 p.m. Free.

"Alicia a través del espejo" — theatrical production of Alice Through the Looking Glass. Teatro Sucre, 7 p.m. USD 7 adults / USD 5 kids. (The one ticketed event on the list. Worth it.)

Concierto Sinfónico — Orquesta Sinfónica de Cuenca. Auditorio General Universidad del Azuay, 8 p.m. Free.

Concierto de Jóvenes Solistas — young soloists. Teatro Carlos Cueva Tamariz, 8 p.m. Free.

Picking Your Weekend

If you want one thing: Réquiem de Rutter at La Merced (Thursday, 7:30 p.m.). Hearing it in a 17th-century church is the entire point.

If you want a date night: Alicia a través del espejo at Teatro Sucre (Friday, 7 p.m.) — it's the only ticketed event but the production value matches.

If you've got kids: Alicia again, or the gastronomic mini-workshop Friday afternoon.

Source: El Mercurio