Guayaquil celebrates Salsa Day with vibrant festival in Las Peñas

The municipal Directorate of Cultural Heritage organized a Salsa Day festival in the historic Las Peñas district of Guayaquil, using the Teatro José de la Cuadra in Plaza Colón as the main venue. The program featured dance performances by the Asociación Provincial de Baile Deportivo del Guayas, an open‑air Los Ángeles‑style salsa class, and a showcase of the genre’s history through the Asociación de Coleccionistas de Salsa del Ecuador (ASOCOSALSA).

Carlos Flores, president of the dance association, said the event “opens doors for us to keep working in Guayaquil, ensuring salsa culture continues to grow.” Tyrone Santos, creator of the Salsa Magazine gallery‑museum, highlighted the importance of preserving the legacy, noting that the city’s legal recognition of Salsa Day provides a space for the community to enjoy and de‑stress. Hundreds of attendees explored vinyl records, books, instruments and other artifacts, while the festival concluded with certificates for cultural contributors.