Get ready to rumble! The artisans are coming!

For 10 days, beginning Sun., Oct. 26, Cuenca will become Ecuador’s party central as the city celebrates the 188th anniverary of its Spanish founding.

Although the nightly fireworks shows will make the most noise, the centerpiece of the founding celebration has always been the hundreds of artists and craftsmen who come to town to display and peddle their work in a dozen art fairs.

Among participants are artisans from Cuenca’s sister cities, Cuzco, Peru, Cuenca, Spain, and Havana, Cuba. The Cuzco contingent is usually the largest during the holidays, in part because of cultural ties between Cuenca and Cuzco dating to the Incan Empire. At the time of the Spanish conquest, the city of Tomebamba --today's Cuenca-- was being rebuilt to serve as the empire's northern capital.

Among the crafts for sale will be jewelry, leather work, textiles, pottery, wood carvings and sculpture.

Although most artisans are from Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, half a dozen other Latin American countries will also be represented.

A highlight of Sun., Oct. 26 festivities, is the food being offered up by civic groups from Loja in Parque del Madre. The fare is comida tipica. 

The Inter-American Folk Arts and Crafts Association, CIDAP, coordinates the annual craft fairs.

Photo: Members of Cuzco, Perú's artisans association, prepare for their annual trip to Cuenca.