Overview: Every city of Ecuador celebrates their own festivals either in honor of a saint (Most Ecuadorians are Catholics), or the city's festivities. There are plenty more celebrations throughout the country such as: "Virgen del Carmen", on the 16th of July. The "Fiesta de la Mama Negra" in Latacunga, which is held on the 23rd and 24th of September, among others. The main festivities of the country are as follows:

1 January (New Year's Day). 6 January (Día de los Inocentes, y Reyes Magos). 27 February (Día del Civismo). Carnival (Monday and Tuesday before Lent). Easter (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday). 1 May (Labor Day). 24 May (Batalla del Pichincha, Independence Day). June (Corpus Christi). 10 August (Primer grito de independencia). 9 October (Guayaquil independence). 12 October (Columbus' day). 1 November (All Saints' Day). 2 November (Día de los difuntos, All Souls' Day). 3 November (Cuenca Independence). 6 December (Quito Foundation). 25 December (Christmas Day).

Carnival is celebrated in February or March (the week before Lent) and ends on Ash Wednesday. Ecuador has a very unique version of Carnival, nothing compared to other countries celebrations. Some Ecuadorians don't agree, but most children and teenagers love it!. They celebrate it throwing balloons filled with water, bags filled with flour, water weapons and anything (even eggs) that may make others look messy. But it's fun...!

Even before Carnival lots of people sell these Water weapons in every part of the country.

Most travelers prefer to go to Ambato, where Carnival is celebrated with colorful parades (Fiesta de las Flores y de las Frutas), instead of the wild water throwing in other parts of the country. The authorities are trying to eradicate this traditional custom and actually it has been done in "Salinas" the best beach of Ecuador. The Major of the city has followed Ambato's example and now in Salinas water throwing has been banned.

The family gets ready for this visit and among the several specialties that they prepare are the "bread dolls", which have an specific meaning depending on the shape. Horse shaped breads for example means transport.
The ritual involves the construction of a tomb that is adorned with the soul's favorite drink and food and over this tomb they place black cloth and the bread dolls together with several other things that are meaningful to the ritual.

Once the Soul arrives and celebrates with its living relatives, all of them celebrate as well with a big glass of Colada Morada (a purple sweet drink). Then, the ceremony is taken to the local cemetery. The ritual is done for up to three years. It is not continued afterwards. The celebration itself is a mixture of ethnic cultures and Catholic customs.

At the present times, as everywhere else, most Ecuadorians celebrate "Día de los Difuntos, o muertos" in a different practical way; just visiting their deceased relatives in the cemetery and adorning their tombs with flowers.

Ecuador has a very unique tradition on December 31, Ecuadorians celebrate New Year's eve with the "años viejos"("old years"). These, are stuffed dummies constructed with paper, sawdust, wood and firecrackers shown through the whole country before they are burned.

The stuffed dummies on the picture on your left for example characterize Osama Bin Laden. But other local, international politicians and famous personalities are also characterized representing the old year. Children and women (or men dressed as women) in black play the old year's "widow" role, crying and asking for some money or candies in the streets, or from house to house for the old year's (dummy) funeral. When the year that has gone by has been a very bad year, most people and the dummy's widow kick or wipe it out before it is burned, to have a better year. This tradition takes place everywhere in Ecuador, but the most exciting place to spend New year's eve is in Salinas.