Todos Santos Events 2027: Film Festival, Fiestas & Concerts

The main Todos Santos events in 2027 are the Tropic of Cancer Music & Arts Festival (13 to 17 January 2027), the Festival del Arte in early February, the Fiestas de la Virgen del Pilar around 12 October and the Festival de Cine de Todos Santos in late November. Only the music festival has published 2027 dates so far; the table below says which dates are confirmed and which are only the usual pattern, as of 14 October 2026.

Tropic of Cancer Music & Arts Festival: 13–17 January 2027

The biggest date on the winter calendar is the Tropic of Cancer Music & Arts Festival, five days of concerts spread over small venues around town rather than one big stage. It is hosted by The Cordovas, an Americana band that splits the year between Nashville and Todos Santos, and the proceeds go to the Bomberos Voluntarios de Todos Santos, the volunteer fire brigade.

Lineup announced so far

The official site promises more than 50 artists for 2027. The names published by mid-October 2026 are Los Mirlos (the Peruvian cumbia amazónica band), Nortec as Bostich + Fussible, The Mother Hips, Cordovas, Coffis Brothers, Twin Fin, Shāheri, Alejandro Arnada, Jacoozy, Black Lady, Los Hijos del Trópico and Maisy Owen. For reference, the January 2026 edition (14–18 January) was headlined by Lettuce, Andy Frasco & The U.N. and La Santa Cecilia.

Passes and practical notes

Passes are sold through Eventbrite from the festival site; the site does not publish prices, so check there rather than trusting old figures. The daily schedule usually appears a few weeks before the festival. January is also peak season here (cool, dry, whale season on the coast), so rooms in town sell out first: book a bed before you book a pass.

Festival del Arte and the Festival de Cine

Two cultural festivals bracket the season, and both revolve around the Teatro General Manuel Márquez de León, the 1940s theatre on the plaza.

Festival del Arte Todos Santos (February)

This is the town’s oldest community celebration, running since the late 1990s and timed to the theatre’s anniversary in early February. Expect an art fair in the Plaza Francisco I. Madero, folk dance, concerts, aerial acrobatics and an open mic, most of it free. The 28th edition ran from 5 to 9 February 2025. The 2027 dates have not been announced; if the pattern holds it will fall in the first or second week of February. It pairs well with a morning in the galleries: browse the art galleries in Todos Santos in our directory.

Festival de Cine de Todos Santos (November)

Founded in 2004 by Sylvia Perel, the film festival focuses on Latin American and Mexican cinema, with a Hecho en BCS competition for films made in Baja California Sur, masterclasses and outdoor screenings. The 21st edition is listed for 23 to 29 November 2026 at the Teatro Márquez de León. Nothing has been published for 2027 yet; every recent edition has fallen in the last week of November.

Fiestas de la Virgen del Pilar and Día de Muertos

The Virgen del Pilar is the patron saint of Todos Santos, and her feast day, 12 October, is also celebrated as the town’s founding. The fiestas patronales fill the plaza and fairground for four or five days with rides, food stalls and live music. In 2026 they ran from 9 to 12 October, with norteño and banda acts every night and the coronation of the fiesta queen on the Saturday, according to the state tourism office (SETUES BCS).

The cabalgata

The most local moment is the cabalgata, a two-day horseback pilgrimage to the Virgin. In 2026 riders left the Puente 8 de Octubre at 7:00 on Saturday, rested at the Garita del Chilpa and rode into town on Sunday, followed by barrel racing and family gatherings. In 2027 the 12th falls on a Tuesday, so expect the fiesta around the weekend before; the programme is normally released in September.

Día de Muertos (1–2 November)

Day of the Dead is quieter here than in Oaxaca or Michoacán: families clean and decorate graves at the municipal cemetery, and altars appear in homes, shops and the plaza. Visit the cemetery respectfully and ask before photographing anyone.

Surf, wellness, food and trail-running events

November and December have become the second busy season, with sports and food events stacked on top of the film festival. These are the 2026 dates; none has announced 2027 yet.

Pacífico Surf Open Cerritos

A World Surf League QS 2,000 contest with more than 120 surfers on Playa Los Cerritos, 15 minutes south of town, now in its third year: 19 to 22 November 2026. Spectator access to the festival around it (live music, beach cinema, market) is free. For what to do on the days between contests, see our list of things to do in Todos Santos.

Wellness Fest, GastroVino and De Mar a Mar

The Todos Santos Wellness Fest (6–8 November 2026, at Santa Terra Living, with free sessions in the plaza) has run since 2024. In early December, GastroVino brings Mexican winemakers and local kitchens together (2025: 5–7 December), and De Mar a Mar, a three-stage trail race of about 105 km from Los Barriles to Todos Santos through the Sierra de la Laguna, drew 1,100 runners in 2025 (4–7 December).

Planning a trip around Todos Santos events

• Book early for January and November. The music festival lands in peak season, and the late-November cluster (film festival, surf contest, US Thanksgiving) fills the town’s small stock of rooms.
• October is the local fiesta. It is the end of the hot, humid season, rooms are cheaper and the crowd is mostly Sudcaliforniano. Check the hurricane forecast before you fly.
• Re-check every date a month before. Small festivals here move by a week from year to year, and several publish their programme late. Follow each organiser’s own site or social accounts, which update first.
• You will need a car or a transfer for Cerritos and for late concerts if you sleep outside the centre; taxis are few after midnight. Our guide on how to get to Todos Santos covers the airport transfers and the drive.

Between events there is plenty to fill the days: whale watching from December to April, turtle releases in autumn, and day trips along the Pacific coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Tropic of Cancer Festival 2027?

From 13 to 17 January 2027, in several venues around Todos Santos. More than 50 artists are promised; Los Mirlos, Nortec (Bostich + Fussible), The Mother Hips and Cordovas were among the first names announced.

When is the Todos Santos Film Festival?

The 21st edition runs from 23 to 29 November 2026 at the Teatro Márquez de León. The 2027 dates have not been announced; the festival is always held in late November.

When are the Todos Santos fiestas?

The fiestas patronales for the Virgen del Pilar are held around 12 October every year, with four or five days of music, a fair and a horseback cabalgata. In 2026 they ran from 9 to 12 October.

Are Todos Santos festivals free?

Mostly yes: the fiestas, the art fair of the Festival del Arte, Día de Muertos and the surf contest’s beach festival are free. The Tropic of Cancer festival sells passes, and some film screenings and food events are ticketed.