Quito was founded on December 6, 1534. In 2026 the civic date is a Sunday. The parties usually build through the previous week. Updated each year.
What it is
The city celebrates its founding with concerts, neighborhood events, and a crowded historic center. December 6 is the day. The week before is when the calendar fills.
Where
Plaza Grande, Plaza de San Francisco, and the avenues that feed the old town.
Before you go
- Book the old town for the nights of December 5 and 6, not the morning you decide to go.
- Altitude is unchanged by a party. The first night is still a slow one.