Fiestas de Quito 2026: Dates, Canelazo & How to Celebrate

Every year, from the end of November until December 6, Quito throws itself a birthday party. The city was founded on December 6, 1534, and in 2026 it turns 492. For a couple of weeks, the capital fills with parades, concerts, music in the streets and the warm smell of canelazo. Quiteños call it simply "las fiestas", and if you're in town, you'll feel them everywhere.

This guide was written by Ernesto, a Quito chef and the founder of Bondabu, who has celebrated more Fiestas de Quito than he'd like to admit.

Key takeaways

• Fiestas de Quito run from late November to December 6, the day the city was founded.
• Canelazo, a hot spiced drink with a splash of aguardiente, is the heart of the celebration.
• The best neighborhoods to feel the fiestas are the Historic Center, La Tola and La Floresta.
• Chivas, the famous party buses, are organized by groups of friends, families or coworkers, not something you can just hop on.
• Avoid canelazo sold on the street. Drink it in places you trust.

When are the Fiestas de Quito 2026?

The main day is Sunday, December 6, 2026, the anniversary of the city's founding. Celebrations usually start in the last week of November and build up to that date. The official program is published by the Quito municipality in November, so we'll update this guide with the exact 2026 dates as soon as it's out.

These are the events that happen every year:

• Election of the Queen of Quito: usually in late November, at the historic Teatro Bolívar.
• Quito Fest: the city's big music festival, usually at the end of November.
• Desfiles de la Confraternidad: colorful parades with dancers, bands and neighborhood groups.
• Festival del Pasacalle: a celebration of pasacalle, the music that sounds like Quito.
• Serenata Quiteña: a night of music in the Historic Center on the eve of December 6.
• December 6: the official founding day, with ceremonies and celebrations across the city.

Canelazo: the drink of the fiestas

If the Fiestas de Quito had an official drink, it would be canelazo. It's a hot drink made with water boiled with cinnamon, sweetened with sugar or panela, often mixed with naranjilla juice, and finished with a shot of aguardiente, the local cane spirit. Quito's nights are cold in December, and canelazo is how the city keeps warm while it parties.

You'll find it everywhere during the fiestas: in bars, at family gatherings, at neighborhood parties and on every chiva.

Hervidos: canelazo's fruity cousin

Hervidos are hot drinks made with fruit juice, like naranjilla, blackberry or passion fruit, boiled with spices and mixed with aguardiente. Same spirit, different flavor.

Where Ernesto drinks them

• Ananké, in Guápulo: Ernesto's favorite place for canelazo. Guápulo is a colonial neighborhood that tumbles down the hillside below La Floresta, and it's one of the most beautiful corners of the city.
• Hervidos Tropical: his go-to for hervidos.

Bondabu tip: be careful with canelazo sold on the street. You don't know what alcohol went into it or how strong it is. Drink it at bars, restaurants and gatherings you trust.

Chivas: Quito's party buses

A chiva is an open-sided, brightly painted bus with a band or a sound system on board, driving around the city at night while everyone inside dances, sings and drinks canelazo. They're one of the most iconic images of the fiestas.

Here's what most guides don't tell you: chivas aren't spontaneous. They're rented and organized by groups of friends, families or coworkers. You can't just flag one down and hop on. If a local invites you onto their chiva, say yes. It's one of the best nights you can have in Quito.

• Want to ride one? Ask your hotel or local friends if they know a group organizing one, or rent one if you're traveling with a big group.
• Ride safely: stay seated or hold on when the chiva is moving, and pace yourself with the canelazo.

Where to celebrate the Fiestas de Quito

The Historic Center

The heart of the celebration. Plazas, churches and colonial streets fill with music, especially during the Serenata Quiteña on the eve of December 6. Come in the evening, when the old town is lit up and the crowds arrive.

La Tola

A traditional neighborhood right next to the Historic Center, with a strong local identity and a growing bar scene. It's a great place to continue the night after the old town. Our Quito nightlife guide has the bars to know there.

La Floresta

Quito's creative neighborhood, with independent bars and restaurants that join the party in their own way. From here, it's a short walk down to Guápulo for a canelazo with a view.

What to eat during the fiestas

Party food in Quito is street food and comfort food: empanadas de viento (fried empanadas dusted with sugar), hornado (slow-roasted pork) and anything warm enough to beat the December cold. Our guide to Ecuadorian food in Quito covers the classics, and our list of the best restaurants in Quito has where to book a proper dinner before going out.

Tips for enjoying the Fiestas de Quito

• Bring a warm jacket. December nights in Quito are cold, especially if you'll be outdoors for hours.
• Pace yourself. Quito sits at 2,850 meters, and alcohol hits harder at altitude.
• Use a taxi app at night. It's the easiest and safest way to move between neighborhoods.
• Expect road closures. Parades close major avenues, so plan extra time to get around.
• Check the official program. Dates and venues are announced by the municipality in November.

Experience Quito with a local

The fiestas are the loudest moment of the year, but Quito's food and culture are worth discovering any time. Our Quito food tour takes you through the markets and street food stops where locals eat, and our After Dark experience shows you the city at night, in small groups with local guides.

About the author

Ernesto is a chef based in Quito and the founder of Bondabu, where he designs food and culture experiences in Quito and Mexico City.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Fiestas de Quito in 2026?

The main day is Sunday, December 6, 2026, the anniversary of Quito's founding. Celebrations usually begin in the last week of November.

What is canelazo?

A hot drink made with cinnamon, sugar or panela, often naranjilla juice, and a shot of aguardiente. It's the signature drink of the Fiestas de Quito.

What is a chiva in Quito?

An open-sided party bus with music on board. During the fiestas, groups of friends, families and coworkers rent them to ride around the city at night.

Can tourists ride a chiva?

Yes, but chivas are organized by private groups, so you need to be invited or rent one yourself.

Is it safe to celebrate the Fiestas de Quito?

Yes, with common sense. Use a taxi app at night, stay in busy areas, keep an eye on your belongings and avoid canelazo sold on the street.