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Mayor Zamora signed a deal to acquire 105 hectares of critical watershed land bordering Cajas National Park. The $180,000 price tag? Funded entirely by ticket sales from the Carnaval Nicky Jam concert. Sometimes the math really does work out.

The national numbers are in from Carnival 2026 — Ecuador's tourism sector pulled in $81.9 million over four days. But Cuenca's story was more complicated, with the city ranking third nationally in emergency calls. Here's the full post-Carnival breakdown.

Cuenca remains one of the most affordable cities for expats in the Americas, but costs are rising faster than they used to. Here's an honest, line-by-line breakdown of what it actually costs to live here in 2026 — and how to stretch your dollars further.

If Cuenca felt unusually packed this weekend, you weren't imagining it. Hotels hit 90% occupancy, 1.3 million Ecuadorians hit the road, and the government estimates the four-day feriado will generate up to $100 million in tourism spending. Here's what the Carnival boom actually looked like.

Remember when we told you they were going to try? They did it. On Valentine's Day, 30 chefs prepared 1,723 kilograms of mote pata at Plaza San Francisco, earning Cuenca an official Guinness World Record and feeding 9,500 people for free.

For years, the 35 rangers protecting Parque Nacional Cajas and Cuenca's critical watersheds fought wildfires with inadequate gear. ETAPA just changed that with a $215,000 equipment delivery — helmets, fire suits, chainsaws, and portable pumps. After 11,000 hectares burned in 2024, it was overdue.

From this morning's Mote Pata workshop to Saturday night's Nicky Jam concert, here's everything happening in Cuenca for Carnival 2026 — plus Tranvía schedule changes, road patrol info, and what to know before you head out.

The headline concert of Carnival 2026 features Nicky Jam and Trebol Clan on February 14 at Estadio Serrano Aguilar. Every dollar from ticket sales goes directly to purchasing and conserving paramo in Cajas National Park.

Cuenca's biggest annual celebration has officially launched with approximately 80 events running through the end of February. Concerts, parades, gastronomic festivals, art exhibitions, and more -- here's your guide.