Malecón hosts Festival de las Almas from 31 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 07:38 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Malecón hosts Festival de las Almas in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, from 31 October to 2 November 2026. The seaside promenade and Historic Downtown will become a Day of the Dead cultural corridor with altars, monumental Catrina figures, live arts and coastal celebrations.
Festival de las Almas brings three days to the waterfront
The regional Festival de las Almas Jalisco 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, 31 October, through Monday, 2 November. Puerto Vallarta is one of the festival's host locations, with the main public programme spread across the waterfront and nearby central districts.
The official Puerto Vallarta event listing names Las Pangas de Luz, a lighted boat parade, the Golden Hour of Souls tribute, artistic displays at Los Muertos Pier and the Garden of Whispers on Cuale Island. The programme also places a monumental Catrina beside the bay.
The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board describes 28 public experiences for the local celebration. The wider state festival runs from 24 October to 15 November 2026, while the Puerto Vallarta programme has its own fixed three-day period.
Public art gives the festival its waterfront setting
The promenade is a pedestrian route along the Pacific coast and an open-air gallery of public sculpture. Works by Mexican artists include The Boy on the Seahorse, The Rotunda of the Sea and In Search of Reason, while the route continues south towards the Cuale River.
That setting connects the programme to a place already shaped by public art. During Festival de las Almas, the same waterfront that normally presents bronze sculptures and ocean views will carry ofrendas, flowers, music and Catrina displays, linking Puerto Vallarta's established art route with the Day of the Dead programme.
The state tourism authority identifies the Malecón, Historic Downtown, Los Arcos, Los Muertos Pier, Cuale Island and Casa de la Cultura as festival locations in Puerto Vallarta. Its Puerto Vallarta festival page gives the local theme as The Beach with a Mexican Soul and states the dates as 31 October to 2 November.
Visiting Malecón: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The local Festival de las Almas programme takes place from 31 October to 2 November 2026, with the Malecón among its named venues.
- The listed experiences are public cultural activities, including waterfront altars, live arts, Catrina displays and the lighted boat programme. The official tourism page states that admission is free.
- The Malecón runs along the Pacific waterfront in central Puerto Vallarta, beside Historic Downtown. Named nearby venues include Los Arcos, Los Muertos Pier and Cuale Island.
- The route is a pedestrian promenade with public sculptures, paved walking surfaces and sections beside the sea. Visitors should follow any local instructions around installations, piers and the shoreline.
- Spanish is the official language used for local administration, and the currency is the Mexican peso.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Malecón
When does Festival de las Almas take place at Malecón?
The Puerto Vallarta programme runs from 31 October to 2 November 2026. The wider Jalisco festival continues from 24 October to 15 November 2026.
What is Malecón?
It is Puerto Vallarta's pedestrian waterfront promenade and an open-air gallery of public sculpture beside the Pacific coast.
Where is Malecón and how do you get there?
The promenade is in central Puerto Vallarta beside Historic Downtown. The festival's other named local venues include Los Arcos, Los Muertos Pier and Cuale Island.
