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Lady Ximena Uzhca Zambrano of the San Andrés de Taday parish was crowned Azogueñita 2026 on Saturday, April 11 at the Coliseo Tipo Mil in Azogues, during festivities marking the canton's 201 years of cantonization. Worth a day trip this week.

If you've walked past Cuenca's Chola Cuencana monument, you've already seen Virgilio Quinde Tacuri's work. A new retrospective of the sculptor's career, 'Un Siglo de Arte y Pasión,' is open at the Salón del Pueblo in El Centro through April 30. Free entry.

Students from Instituto Sudamericano turned the murals at Casa de las Palomas into an interactive AR experience. Free, in El Centro, and today — Friday April 10 — is the final day. Closes at 9 PM.

The biggest stretch of Foundation Week starts tomorrow. A massive rural fair with 70 artisan stands, Andrés Cepeda live Saturday night, a children's parade through El Centro, the official Foundation Day ceremony Sunday, and a holiday on Monday. Here's your weekend plan.

An earlier version of this post described a larger "International Book Fair" with 60 writers. That was based on outdated info from a 2024 edition. The event actually running this weekend is the sixth edition of «Segundas Lecturas», a local book fair at the Biblioteca Municipal Daniel Córdova Toral in El Centro, April 10-12. Thanks to reader Patty Mlady for surfacing the correct details.

Ecuador's largest sacred music festival is happening right now in Cuenca. Over 200 artists — choral groups, soloists, and dancers — are performing free shows tonight and tomorrow night at 8 PM in the Casa de la Cultura theater. This is Foundation Week at its most beautiful.

The International Artisan Biennial has activated across four cities in Ecuador this week, with Cuenca as a key venue. Timed perfectly with Foundation Week, it's a chance to see world-class craftsmanship alongside Cuenca's already legendary artisan tradition.

A late Klimowicz goal and a stoppage-time Rivero counter gave Deportivo Cuenca a massive away win at the George Capwell. The team sits 4th with 11 points — and now faces Santos FC in the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday at home. Neymar won't be there, but road closures will.

Cuenca turns 469 this week and the city is throwing a proper party. Orchid shows, symphony concerts, a children's parade, a barter festival, Andres Cepeda live, free pet vaccinations, and the big Foundation Day ceremony on Sunday. Here's everything happening, day by day.