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Pumaspungo Resto Bar on the Paseo Tres de Noviembre was broken into during the Carnaval holiday. Thieves entered through the roof while the restaurant was closed. Business owners in El Centro are now organizing community alarm systems.

If Cuenca felt unusually packed this weekend, you weren't imagining it. Hotels hit 90% occupancy, 1.3 million Ecuadorians hit the road, and the government estimates the four-day feriado will generate up to $100 million in tourism spending. Here's what the Carnival boom actually looked like.

Heavy rains during Carnival weekend 2026 flooded 15 Cuenca neighborhoods and lightning struck hikers in Cajas National Park. Which areas were hit, what ECU-911 reported, and what to expect during rainy season.

Carnival week kicks off Thursday with Jueves de Compadres, followed by a Color Fest 5K, the Four Rivers parade, free mote pata for 9,000 people, and Nicky Jam at the stadium. Tickets are $5-$35 at Farmasol.

Cuenca's biggest annual celebration has officially launched with approximately 80 events running through the end of February. Concerts, parades, gastronomic festivals, art exhibitions, and more -- here's your guide.

Cuenca's biggest party of the year runs February 12-17 with a packed schedule: the Four Rivers parade, a Color Fest, concerts at Serrano Aguilar stadium, a chiva market tour, and an attempt to certify the world's largest mote pata with Guinness officials on hand.