Cuenca has a busy few weeks ahead, and travellers in Ecuador over the second weekend of October should pay attention. The government has cut VAT on tourist services from 15% to 8% for the national holiday running Friday 9 to Sunday 11 October, so accommodation and other travel services come cheaper exactly when the city is hosting a stack of events.
The headline draw is the Café y Cacao Fest 2026, running 9-11 October at the Hotel Oro Verde. Producers, roasters, chocolate makers and baristas from across the coffee and cocoa chain will gather for exhibits, conferences and workshops with national and international speakers. Entry is free if you pre-register via the festival's official Facebook or Instagram accounts — worth doing, since the same weekend is a national holiday and the city expects extra visitors.
Culture fixers have options beyond caffeine. The Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana Núcleo del Azuay (Luis Cordero y Pres. Córdova) opened an exhibition celebrating the artisanal traditions of Sinincay, gathering crafts, techniques and local knowledge tied to the parish's identity. And on Saturday 10 October, Rotofest marks its 20th anniversary at the Puente Roto from 13:00, mixing electronic music with independent culture and digital art. Belgian techno veteran Marco Bailey tops a bill that includes Spain's Cristina Tosio, Guayaquil's Mila Sommer and Doménca Navarreta, and a slate of Ecuadorian artists.
The holiday also lands amid a debate about how Cuenca eats and drinks. Restaurant and tourism bodies are proposing a new regulated "rooftop turístico" category for Ecuador's tourism system, covering terrace venues serving food, drinks and entertainment. It would set standards for safety, capacity, noise, accessibility and permits. The proposal counted 67 rooftops nationwide — 13 in Cuenca, more than in Quito — so terrace-hopping looks set to become a properly recognised part of the city's offer.
Two practical notes. Egg prices are climbing — a flat of 30 large eggs hit $4.75 at some markets, up from $2.20 at farm level late last year — so breakfast costs are edging up across town. And remember that no alcohol is sold during election weekends; with polling coming up in November, plan any bar crawls around the dry period.
For visitors, this is a good snapshot of why Cuenca punches above its weight: free-entry food festivals, a two-decade-old street festival on a broken bridge, colonial architecture and a growing rooftop scene, all sweetened by a temporary VAT cut. If your dates flex, aim for the 9-11 October weekend.
