Christmas Eve's Pase del Niño (the Passing of the Child) parade. It is the event of the year in Cuenca and to the locals, it is a combination of Catholic and indigenous traditions that produces a festival of devotion to the Christ child.
The action begins around 10 in the morning and runs typically for six or seven hours. As many as 20,000 people participate in the parade, with another 100,000 watching from sidewalks, doorways, patios, balconies, and rooftops. In addition to 600 floats, there are thousands of participants on horseback or on foot. The parade focuses on the children, as the name implies.
The procession features floats pulled by trucks and cars, many decorated with flowers, fruits and vegetables, empty beer cans, liquor bottles, banners and streamers.
Literally thousands of versions of the baby Jesus are represented, along with dozens of Biblical characters. There are hundreds of angels with wings; children dressed in colorful homemade costumes, some on horses and donkeys; dogs pulling carts; marching bands, dancing cholas, men on stilts, and a variety of street performers. 
Everywhere children are dressed in colorful homemade costumes.
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