Festivity of Quito

The Festivity of Quito, or Fiestas de Quito is a celebration to remember the foundation of the city. As a matter of fact, it was on December 6th, 1534. The celebration starts with a weeklong period from the end of November to December 6th. During these festivities, the parade, dancers, theater, and singer shows start while the museums in Old Town are open all day.

In different parts of Quito, you will see live music, parades, chivas, and bands. The Chiva is a party bus that features live bands. Additionally, the most famous procession is the presentation of the new Reina de Quito, with marching school bands and dancers.

Overall, the typical dishes are also part of the festivities in Quito. Every year, a food fair is held in each of the city’s three sections: the north, the old town, and the south.

Festivity of Quito

The most famous drink for Fiestas de Quito is the canelazo. You boil water and add cinammon, naranjilla (lulo fruit), panela (brown sugar cane), and at the end, aguardiente (an alcohol drink made from sugar cane).

Here’s a list of the traditional dishes that you can try at this time of the year:

Guatita: a stew whose main ingredients is pieces of cow stomach. We add peanut sauce and potatoes.

Tripa Mishqui : It is a beef tripe. They prepare on the grill, chopping it in a broth of white corn or potatoes. The tripes are seasonings with Andean herbs, garlic, onions, and other species.

Papas con cuero are cooked pieces of pork skin, potatoes, and peanut sauce, similarly to guatita.

Empanadas de viento on my blog with the recipe: How to make Ecuadorian empanadas

Empanadas de morocho are a white corn dough. It is filling with rice, peas, carrots, and ground beef. The dish always comes with some spicy aji–chili sauce.

Llapingacho is fried potato pancakes (potato tortillas) with an egg, sausage, avocado, and lettuce.

Locro de papa is potato soup with cheese and avocado on the top.

Hornado roasts and cooks pigs in a wood-fired oven until the meat is tender and the skin is crispy. It comes with potato tortillas and agrio (sauce with chicha – typical drink of the Andes).

Fritada is fried pork cut into pieces. It comes with mote (white corn), and maduro fry (one type of banana).