Puerto Vallarta Festival sets October 31 events
Puerto Vallarta’s contribution to the 2026 Festival de las Almas is named “La Orilla de las Ánimas,” or “The Shore of the Souls.” The statewide Día de Muertos program runs from October 24 to November 15, 2026, while the Puerto Vallarta schedule is concentrated between October 31 and November 2. The festival is a Government of Jalisco initiative organized through the state’s Agency for Entertainment and the Jalisco Tourism Secretariat. This year’s edition reaches 11 municipalities, compared with six in 2025. Puerto Vallarta took part in the first edition, and the city has held its own Día de Muertos activities for many years.
The statewide program provides a shared framework for celebrations in different municipalities. In Puerto Vallarta, the events are distributed along the waterfront and through the Historic Center rather than placed in one venue. The main locations are the Malecón, Historic Center, Muelle de Los Muertos, Isla del Cuale, Los Arcos and Casa de la Cultura. The city’s installations and performances connect Catrinas, flowers, candles, music and altars with its maritime identity, Pacific Ocean setting and fishing history.
La Orilla de las Ánimas will occupy the Malecón and Historic Center from October 31 through November 2, creating the central Día de Muertos corridor. Cempasúchil, sculptures, music and ofrendas will be incorporated into the waterfront and nearby streets. La Marea de las Ánimas, the main procession, is scheduled for those same dates and will feature Catrines and Catrinas inspired by Puerto Vallarta’s history. Its five thematic universes are The Threshold, The Path, The Offering, The Encounter and The Memory.
At Muelle de Los Muertos, El Último Umbral will run from October 31 through November 2. Its floral and lighting installation will lead toward the “Faro de las Ánimas.” Las Pangas de Luz, also scheduled for those dates at the waterfront, will dress traditional fishing pangas with flowers and nighttime lighting. Isla del Cuale will host El Jardín de los Susurros from October 31 through November 2, combining candles, copal, shadows and local legends in an immersive Día de Muertos setting.
La Guardiana del Océano, another event scheduled for the three-day Puerto Vallarta program, is a monumental Catrina inspired by the Pacific Ocean, with waves, whales, manta rays and bougainvillea. At sunset, La Hora Dorada de las Ánimas will use the shift from daylight to evening and include a candle-lighting experience. In the Historic Center, Voces desde el Balcón will place short musical performances on balconies; each is expected to last about five to 10 minutes.
The official Jalisco tourism program currently highlights eight Puerto Vallarta experiences, with additional activities bringing the city total to 28. Across Jalisco, the festival includes nearly 350 free cultural, artistic and traditional activities.