Cuenca & Azuay
What's Happening in Cuenca and Azuay This Week?
November 2 – November 8, 2026
Cuenca’s independence season fills the week with fairs, food, exhibitions, music, heritage and urban culture. The official programme is enormous; these are some of the events that best show its range, with many more waiting in the full calendar.
Concerts, Festivals & Entertainment
November 2 · 18:00
Huaynacapazo 2026
📍 Cuenca · Avenida Huayna Cápac
A large musical finale for Cuenca’s Independence celebrations, with three stages on Avenida Huayna Cápac. Fulanito headlines the Tropical stage, Los Dukes the National stage and Proyecto Coraza the Latino stage.
View event details →November 6 · 19:30
Retro Night: From Cassette to MP3
📍 Cuenca · Parque del Ferrocarril
A free retro-music concert in Cuenca’s independence festivities.
View event details →Art, Theatre & Culture
November 2 · 10:00
24th Festival of Crafts of the Americas
📍 Cuenca · CIDAP y orillas del rio Tomebamba
A festival featuring 175 artisans from 13 countries. Peru is the guest country, and artisans from the Galapagos participate for the first time. The opening is October 30; public exhibitions run October 31-November 3 from 10:00 to 20:00, featuring woodwork, jewellery, textiles, glass and other craft traditions.
View event details →November 2 · 11:00
Europe to the Stars — Cuenca Planetarium
📍 Cuenca · Planetario Municipal Ciudad de Cuenca
Seven short programmes move from the Sun and the rings of Saturn to the scale of the universe and the question of life. Different presentations run through Monday and Tuesday, making this an easy family plan to shape around the day.
View event details →November 3 · 09:00
Paulina Tamayo Is Music, Tradition and Ecuador
📍 Cuenca · Complejo Patrimonial Todos Santos
A temporary interactive exhibition recalling more than fifty years of Paulina Tamayo's career through objects, art and an immersive augmented-reality room. The opening is October 21 at 18:30. Regular visiting hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 09:00-17:30, for approximately three months.
View event details →November 2 · 08:00
Between Channels
📍 Cuenca · Galería de la Alcaldía
Four exhibitions reward a slower look this week: Between Channels at the Mayor’s Gallery, Landscapes to Inhabit at Museo Remigio Crespo Toral, Report on Forms and Everyday Life at Alliance Française, and Hands That Tell Stories at the Casa de la Cultura.
View event details →November 6 · 18:00
Transforming the Punchline
📍 Cuenca · Teatro Sucre
A hip-hop, rap and urban-culture presentation connected to the Previmujer programme.
View event details →November 6 · 19:00
Young Pianists Gathering — Fourth Edition
📍 Cuenca · Museo Municipal de Arte Moderno
A music gathering of young pianists organised by Angélica Sánchez Piano Studio.
View event details →November 6 · 19:15
Cuenca Citizen Guard Band Concert
📍 Cuenca · Plazoleta de La Merced
A public band performance by the Cuenca Citizen Guard.
View event details →November 7 · 10:00
Buried Tomebamba Virtual and On-site Tour
📍 Cuenca · Galería Chalco Arte Contemporáneo
A virtual and in-person heritage tour about ancient Tomebamba.
View event details →November 7 · 13:00
Sucre Session 6
📍 Cuenca · Antigua Escuela Central
An urban-culture gathering organised by Sucre Crew.
View event details →November 7 · 19:00
Ghost Route — November 7
📍 Cuenca · Museo de las Madres Conceptas
A theatrical heritage route at the Museum of the Conceptas.
View event details →Community & Traditions
November 2
National Agricultural Fair and First Quarter Horse Expo
📍 Cuenca · Estacion de Cumbe
An agricultural fair with exhibitions, producers and Cuenca’s first Quarter Horse Expo. It runs November 1–3.
View event details →November 2 · 10:30
Festival of Cuenca Flavours
📍 Cuenca · Calle Federico Malo junto al Parque de la Madre
A food festival with more than thirty stands, traditional cooking, art and crafts during Cuenca’s independence holiday. It runs daily from October 31 through November 2, 10:30 to 19:00.
View event details →November 2 · 10:00
Cuenca Expo Fair 2026
📍 Cuenca · Expo Feria Cuenca — Totoracocha
A ten-day fair with a circus, amusement rides, exhibitors and concerts. October 31 includes a Halloween night with a haunted house and costume contest. Open daily from October 30 through November 8.
View event details →November 4 · 10:30
Sancocho and Fritada Festival
📍 Cuenca · Restaurantes de la avenida Don Bosco
A food event at restaurants along Don Bosco Avenue.
View event details →November 5 · 09:00
Hands That Create, Stories That Endure — Artisans’ Day
📍 Cuenca · Plazoleta de San Blas a Parque Calderón
An Artisans’ Day procession from San Blas to Parque Calderón.
View event details →November 6 · 08:30
5th PRECOM3OS 2026 Gathering — Earthen Architecture and Shared Responsibility
📍 Cuenca · Museo Universitario
An academic gathering on earthen architecture and shared responsibility for heritage.
View event details →