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April 05, 2024
This is the ideal time to start planning your next trip to Puerto Vallarta. The Friendliest City in the World offers you a wide variety of experiences to enjoy this spring. Here are 7 events you should not miss during your next vacation in Puerto Vallarta.
· When: Sunday, April 21st, 2024.
· Where: Puerto Mágico.
· Why to Attend: The 5th annual edition of the now traditional Puerto Vallarta Marathon will award over 400,000 MXN ($23,800 USD) in first place prizes for: 42K Marathon, 21K Half Marathon, and the 5K and 10K recreational routes. The Puerto Vallarta Marathon has become a must for athletes from Mexico and abroad, as well as the general public. The 2024 edition will be one of the most popular sporting events in Puerto Vallarta, with at least three thousand runners from Mexico and 15 other countries expected to participate. The Puerto Mágico facilities at the Puerto Vallarta Maritime Terminal will serve as the start and finish line.
· What We Like: The impeccable organization of the Puerto Vallarta Marathon and the great sportsmanship shown by all those participating. No wonder this event, which promotes physical activity and a healthy lifestyle, attracts experienced athletes, jogging enthusiasts, families, teenagers and children to run, jog or walk.
· More information on the Maraton Puerto Vallarta website.
· When: From April 28 to May 5, 2024
· Where: Los Arcos del Malecón Amphitheater and other locations.
· Why to Attend: Festival Vallarta Azteca is the largest folkloric dance festival in Mexico. It also has certification from the International Council of Folklore Festivals and Traditional Arts (CIOFF), a partner organization of UNESCO. Now in its 18th year, the Vallarta Azteca Festival will gather in Puerto Vallarta more than 20 folkloric dance companies from Mexico and other invited countries. Among them are Canada, Ecuador, Germany, Honduras, Romania, Serbia and the United States.
· What We Like: Throughout the week, the 20 invited groups offer free performances at different Puerto Vallarta venues, including the Los Arcos del Malecon Amphitheater and Teatro Vallarta. Each performance is an authentic celebration of music, color and dance where the “Friendliest City in the World” is the main stage. Vallarta Azteca Festival is also a unique opportunity to promote cultural exchange and friendship through folkloric dance between North and Central American countries and Europe.
· More information vía Facebook at: Festival Vallarta Azteca del Folclor Internacional.
· When: May 1—5, 2024.
· Where: Agustin Flores Contreras Sports Complex and other locations.
· Why to Attend: Copa Vallarta Soccer is Puerto Vallarta's premier football celebration. Now in its 43rd edition, the international championship will be held May 1-5, with the main venue being the Agustin Flores Contreras Sports Complex (commonly known as the "Stadium".) Soccer teams of all ages—from toddlers to veterans over 60, both male and female, are expected to participate in the 2024 Copa Vallarta Soccer. A wide selection of the best soccer teams from Mexico, the United States, Canada, Argentina and Honduras will be in attendance. Admission to the soccer fields will be free of charge for all spectators.
· What We Like: Copa Vallarta Soccer has become an important seedbed for creating and developing new soccer values, both domestically and internationally. The Organizing Committee of the 2024 Copa Vallarta Soccer is expecting more than eight thousand people to arrive in Puerto Vallarta during the tournament, including athletes, coaches, support staff and parents.
· More information and further details at the official Copa Vallarta website.
· When: May 15 to June 10, 2024.
· Where: Puerto Vallarta’s best restaurants.
· Why to Attend: In 2024, Restaurant Week by Vallarta Lifestyles, one of the most prestigious culinary events in Puerto Vallarta and the Banderas Bay area, celebrates its first 20 years as a must-attend event for foodies. For two consecutive weeks, Restaurant Week enriches and enlivens Puerto Vallarta's thriving culinary scene with a variety of special three-course menus (each with three choices.) For a fixed price of $344, $459 or $575 MXN per person (excluding drinks and gratuity), participating restaurants offer their special Restaurant Week menu.
· What We Like: Restaurant Week by Vallarta Lifestyles is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated culinary festivals in Puerto Vallarta. It is also a great opportunity to sample the offerings of both established chefs and emerging talents who are making a name for themselves in Puerto Vallarta's vibrant restaurant scene.
· More information and the special menus of participating restaurants at: Restaurant Week.
· When: From May 16 to June 2, 2024.
· Where: Explanada Vallarta Arena.
· Why to Attend: Fiestas de Mayo Puerto Vallarta is a much anticipated popular festival, especially by locals, that is held annually for two weeks in celebration of Puerto Vallarta's double anniversary as a city and a municipality on May 31st. In recent years, the Explanada Vallarta, a charro horse racing arena located near the International Convention Center, has become the center of Fiestas de Mayo's activities. The musical program usually includes a variety of events for the whole family. Live music is provided by the most popular exponents of the regional Mexican genre. The 2024 Fiestas de Mayo Puerto Vallarta Festival has recently announced live performances by Carín León and the duo Julión Álvarez and Alfredo Olivas as its first confirmed headliners.
· What We Like: The anticipation that Fiestas de Mayo's musical lineup generates among Puerto Vallarta audiences. Tickets for the live concerts often sell out within minutes. There are also a variety of attractions and rides, an arts and crafts expo, sporting events, and a variety of food options that include typical regional dishes for the whole family to enjoy.
· More information and the official program of events on Facebook at: Festival Fiestas de Mayo Puerto Vallarta.
· When: May 20—26, 2024.
· Where: Puerto Vallarta and the Banderas Bay.
· Why to Attend: Swim for the Whales is more than a successful athletic event. It is a feat of endurance, perseverance and environmental awareness to raise funds for humpback whale conservation in Mexico. In 2023, open water swimmer Stephanie Moreno Bending completed a 23-mile swim from the Islas Marietas National Park to Los Arcos-Las Gemelas Beach, south of Puerto Vallarta, in just over 14 hours of continuous swimming. This year, the Mexican athlete is preparing to surpass the previous challenge and complete a 78-mile circuit off the Puerto Vallarta coast. This will involve swimming the length of Banderas Bay for six consecutive days.
· What We Like: Led by Stephanie Moreno, Swim for the Whales combines open-water swimming, an environmental cause and the determined involvement of a large multidisciplinary team of professionals in sports medicine, physiotherapy, nutrition, oceanology and more. The Mexican swimmer's athletic feat raised more than half a million pesos. All of the money went to help protect humpback whales. In 2024, Stephanie Moreno and her team aim to raise at least one million pesos to implement a comprehensive and preventive strategy that will help protect humpback whales in Mexico.
· More information (in Spanish) vía Facebook at: Nado por las Ballenas.
· When: May 20—26, 2024.
· Where: Puerto Vallarta’s top LGBTQ+ clubs.
· Why to Attend: Vallarta Pride is Mexico's most exciting Pride celebration. It will be held May 22 to 26 in Puerto Vallarta—named Beach Destination of the Year at the 2023 LGBTQ+ Travel Awards Mexico. Vallarta Pride offers a full week of activities including cultural, sports and entertainment events. The Pride Parade along the Puerto Vallarta Malecon boardwalk and the Block Party in the heart of the Romantic Zone, are the highlights. The theme for the 11th annual edition of Vallarta Pride will be “Sun & the Beach”, where the heart of Pride will beat to the rhythm of the waves and the energy of the sun.
· What We Like: Puerto Vallarta is internationally recognized as a friendly, safe, and very welcoming Mexican beach destination for the LGBTQ+ community. The Friendliest City in the World was also the first destination in Latin America to make Airbnb's ‘Top 15 LGBTQ+ Destinations' ranking globally.
· More information and the latest news on Instagram at: Vallarta Pride 2024.
And you, what spring events in Puerto Vallarta are you planning to attend? Don't forget to share your best photos of Puerto Vallarta on our social networking sites (Instagram, Facebook, X & TikTok) using the hashtag #PuertoVallarta.
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