Puerto Vallarta Events Calendar 2027: Festivals Month by Month

The short answer for Puerto Vallarta events 2027: the year has two peaks. From January to March come humpback whales, the Wednesday ArtWalk and the Banderas Bay Regatta (16–20 March 2027); from mid-November to 12 December come the Gourmet Festival, the marlin and tuna tournament and the Guadalupe processions. May adds Pride and the Fiestas de Mayo. The table below marks which 2027 dates are confirmed.

Puerto Vallarta events 2027 at a glance

Some dates are fixed by the calendar or by law (Easter, Independence, Day of the Dead, the Guadalupe feast). Others are set each year by organisers and usually announced a few months ahead. As of October 2026, only the regatta and the end of the ArtWalk season had published 2027 dates, so treat every "expected" row as the pattern of recent years, not a promise.

Month (2027)	Event	Date status	Cost
January–March	Humpback whale season in Banderas Bay	Roughly December to March; peak January–February	Boat tour
Every Wednesday to May	Vallarta ArtWalk, Centro Histórico	Confirmed: weekly until Wed 26 May, 6–10 pm	Free
March	Banderas Bay Regatta, Vallarta Yacht Club	Confirmed: 16–20 March	Free to watch
March	Semana Santa (Holy Week)	Palm Sunday 21 Mar; Easter Sunday 28 Mar	Free
May	Vallarta Pride	Expected mid-to-late May (2026: 17–24 May); not announced	Parade free
May	Fiestas de Mayo and the municipality anniversary (31 May)	Expected second half of May (2026: 15–31 May)	Some concerts ticketed
May–June	Restaurant Week	Expected mid-May to mid-June (2026: 15 May–10 June)	Set menus
September	Independence: El Grito on the main square	Night of Wed 15 Sep; parade 16 Sep	Free
October	Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica	Early October in recent years (2026: 4–7 Oct)	Ticketed
1–2 November	Day of the Dead altars and catrinas	Fixed: 1–2 Nov	Free
November	International Marlin & Tuna Fishing Tournament	Expected mid-November (2026: 11–14 Nov)	Free to watch
November	Festival Gourmet International	Expected mid-to-late November (2026: 12–22 Nov)	Ticketed dinners
1–12 December	Fiestas Guadalupanas processions	Fixed: every evening 1–12 Dec	Free

One rule of thumb: the dry season (November to May) holds almost every big event, while June to October is hot, humid and quiet. Our guide to the best time to visit Puerto Vallarta covers the weather side month by month.

January to April: whales, the regatta and Holy Week

The first quarter is the high season for foreign visitors, and the calendar matches it: mild days around 28 °C, cool evenings and something on almost every night of the week.

Whale season and New Year

Humpback whales arrive in Banderas Bay in December to calve and leave around the end of March, and January and February are the most reliable months to see them breaching. The season is regulated, with a limited number of permitted boats; our Puerto Vallarta whale watching guide explains how to choose an operator. 6 January (Día de Reyes) brings the rosca de reyes to every bakery, and Monday 1 February 2027 is a national long weekend (Constitution Day), when hotels fill with visitors from Guadalajara.

The ArtWalk, every Wednesday

The Vallarta ArtWalk has run in the Centro Histórico since 1996. Every Wednesday from 6 to 10 pm, a dozen or more galleries open their doors, often with a glass of wine and the artist in the room. The 2026–27 season runs from 28 October 2026 to 26 May 2027, according to the organisers. It is free and self-guided: pick up the map at any participating gallery, or browse the art galleries of Puerto Vallarta in our directory beforehand.

Banderas Bay Regatta and Semana Santa

The Banderas Bay Regatta, started by a handful of cruisers in 1994, is hosted by the Vallarta Yacht Club in Nuevo Vallarta. The 2027 edition is scheduled for 16–20 March: check-in and opening party on the 16th, a boat parade on the 17th and three days of racing from the 18th to the 20th, ending with awards night. You can watch from the beaches of Nuevo Vallarta and Bucerías. Monday 15 March is also a national holiday (Benito Juárez), so that week is busy. Holy Week follows straight after: Palm Sunday is 21 March and Easter Sunday 28 March 2027. Expect processions downtown on Good Friday (26 March), packed public beaches and the highest hotel prices of the spring, as the week after Easter is also a school holiday in Mexico.

May: Pride, Fiestas de Mayo and Restaurant Week

May is hot (low 30s °C) but still dry, and it is the month with the most going on at once. It also marks the end of the high season, so hotel rates start to drop after Pride.

Vallarta Pride

Vallarta Pride is one of the largest LGBTQ+ celebrations in Latin America. The 2026 edition ran from 17 to 24 May, with the parade on Thursday 21 May from the Hotel Zone to the Zona Romántica, a block party on Lázaro Cárdenas, the Púlpito Drag Derby and a Rainbow Run on the malecón. It usually lines up with the US Memorial Day weekend (31 May in 2027). As of October 2026, the official 2027 dates had not been published; some listings show 16–23 May 2027, which is plausible but unconfirmed.

Fiestas de Mayo

Puerto Vallarta became a municipality on 31 May 1918, and the city celebrates with the Fiestas de Mayo: a fairground, regional music and big-name concerts. In 2026 they ran from 15 to 31 May at Explanada Vallarta, near the convention centre, with banda acts such as Banda MS. Many shows are free; the headline concerts may be ticketed. Expect the 2027 programme to be announced in April or early May.

Restaurant Week

Run by Vallarta Lifestyles magazine, Restaurant Week sets fixed three-course menus at participating restaurants in Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. The 2026 edition (the 22nd) ran from 15 May to 10 June with 51 restaurants and menus at 495, 575 or 690 MXN (about 27, 31 or 37 USD), drinks and tip not included (prices checked October 2026). Book the popular places ahead, especially on Pride weekend.

June to October: the quiet season

From June the rains arrive, usually as evening storms, and September is the wettest month and the peak of the hurricane season. Fewer events, fewer visitors and the lowest hotel rates of the year. Two dates are still worth planning around.

Turtle season and Independence Day

Olive ridley turtles nest on the beaches of the bay from about June to December, and hatchling releases, run by licensed camps and some hotels, are most frequent from August to November. On the night of Wednesday 15 September 2027, the mayor gives El Grito from the town hall on the main square, followed by fireworks over the malecón; 16 September brings a civic parade downtown. Arrive early for a spot near the stage.

Gastronómica and the start of the high season

In early October, Vallarta Nayarit Gastronómica brings chefs, talks and tastings to the Hotel Zone; the 2026 edition (the 18th) ran from 4 to 7 October. In late October the new ArtWalk season begins (expect a Wednesday at the end of October 2027), and the first winter residents return.

November and December: the busiest event season

From Day of the Dead to New Year's Eve, Puerto Vallarta has something on almost every night, and the weather is at its best: dry, sunny and around 30 °C by day.

Day of the Dead and Revolution Day

On 1 and 2 November, altars with marigolds, candles and photos go up in the main square, along the malecón and in many restaurants, and people paint their faces as catrinas. Families visit the municipal cemetery on the 2nd; be discreet with cameras there. Monday 15 November 2027 is the national holiday for the Revolution, with the traditional parade on 20 November.

Fishing tournament and Festival Gourmet International

The International Marlin & Tuna Fishing Tournament is one of the oldest in Mexico: the 2026 edition, from 11 to 14 November, was its 70th, with more than one million pesos in prizes and the weigh-ins at Marina Vallarta. Almost at the same time comes the Festival Gourmet International, running since 1995: the 31st edition runs from 12 to 22 November 2026, with guest chefs cooking at host restaurants across Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit. Both usually return in mid-November, but neither had confirmed 2027 dates when this was written. If you want to fish yourself, our Puerto Vallarta tours include charters outside the tournament dates.

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Fiestas Guadalupanas, Christmas and New Year

From 1 to 12 December, every evening, companies, neighbourhoods and schools walk in procession with dancers and bands to the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, the church with the crown. The 12th is also the anniversary of the city's founding in 1851, and the last night is the biggest. Posadas follow from 16 to 24 December, and the year ends with fireworks on the malecón: see our guide to Christmas and New Year's Eve in Puerto Vallarta. Christmas to New Year is the most expensive week of the year, so book rooms early. For official listings, check the events page of the city's tourism board, Visit Puerto Vallarta.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the biggest Puerto Vallarta events in 2027?

The Banderas Bay Regatta (16–20 March), Holy Week (21–28 March), Vallarta Pride and the Fiestas de Mayo (May), the fishing tournament and the Festival Gourmet International (mid-November) and the Fiestas Guadalupanas (1–12 December). Whale season and the weekly ArtWalk run from winter into spring.

Which 2027 dates are already confirmed?

As of October 2026: the Banderas Bay Regatta (16–20 March 2027), the end of the ArtWalk season (26 May 2027) and the dates fixed by the calendar, such as Easter, Independence Day, Day of the Dead and the Guadalupe feast. Pride, the Fiestas de Mayo, Restaurant Week, the Gourmet Festival and the fishing tournament had not announced 2027 dates yet.

When is Vallarta Pride 2027?

It has not been announced. Pride is held in the second half of May, usually over the US Memorial Day weekend; the 2026 edition ran from 17 to 24 May. Check the official Vallarta Pride site in early 2027 before booking.

What is the best month for events in Puerto Vallarta?

Mid-November to mid-December combines the most events with the best weather. March is the alternative, with whales, the regatta and the ArtWalk, but Holy Week brings the highest prices of the spring.