Catrina week is here, amigos
Fifty giant catrinas, PGA golf, Robbie at Vidanta, and where to eat this week.
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¡Buenos días, amigos!
Pour yourself a warm cup of joe and settle in. This is one of those weeks that reminds us why we live here: giant catrinas on the Malecón, PGA golf in Nuevo Vallarta, Robbie at Vidanta, and the Marina night market back for the season. Monday leads with the calendar. We’ll flag anything you need to know now and tease what’s new to eat and drink (full food roundup Friday).
🗓️ The week ahead
Through Nov 7: “Sabores que vuelven.” Participating restaurants plate Día de Muertos recipes for Festival de las Almas. Book directly with each spot.
Tue Oct 27: Robbie Williams at VidantaWorld. Yes, that Robbie. Take That alum, record Brit Awards, and the catalog of “Angels,” “Rock DJ,” and “Feel.” He’s headlining the open-air Explanada VidantaWorld in Nuevo Vallarta as part of the Concert Series. Doors around 7 pm, show at 8 pm. Parking for non-guests opens about 6 pm (limited, so Uber/DiDi is often easier). Buy only from the official series site, leave time for resort security, and expect traffic on the Ameca corridor.
Wed Oct 28: The catrinas arrive. Fifty monumental catrinas on the Malecón through Nov 3. Free ofrenda/show at La Isla amphitheater 7:30 pm. Same day: free Feria de las Ciencias in Parque Hidalgo (10 am–2 pm and 4–8 pm). Tip: golden hour for photos.
Thu Oct 29 – Sun Nov 1: VidantaWorld Mexico Open. Real PGA TOUR golf on the Vidanta Vallarta course. 120 players, a $6M purse, and FedExCup Fall points on the line. First year Vidanta runs it as title sponsor, venue, and operator, and the course layout got a tweak so the finish feels more like a stadium. Grounds tickets start around MX$590 via Fever; course hours roughly 7 am–6 pm. About 15 minutes from PVR if you’re picking up snowbird friends. Tickets
Thu Oct 29: Art & Market Marina Vallarta returns. Season opener on the marina boardwalk: 200+ local makers, food, crafts, live music. Thursdays through May 2027. Bring pesos and an empty tote.
Fri Oct 30: Downtown Día de Muertos kicks off (free; times can shift):
6:00 pm: public art gallery opens in Parque Hidalgo
6:30 pm: altars open in Plaza de Armas, with pan de muerto tastings
7:00 pm: catrina runway at Los Arcos
7:30–10:30 pm: CUCOSTA student video mapping on the Malecón
Fri–Sat Oct 30–31: Dorado fishing tournament (Boca / Quimixto / Yelapa).
Sat Oct 31: Free music and dance downtown:
Mariachi in Plaza de Armas at 6 pm
Family music in Parque Lázaro Cárdenas at 7 pm
Dance and ofrenda on Calle Pípila at 8 pm
Sun Nov 1: Monumental Catrina unveiled at 7 pm at El Faro (La Guardiana del Océano).
Coming Mon Nov 2: Grand Parade. Panteón Municipal → Playa Los Muertos. Listings say 5:30 pm or 6:00 pm, so arrive early.
📌 Need to know
Warm and sticky, with highs mostly 30–31°C (86–88°F) and nights around 23°C (73°F). Today has the best odds of a thunderstorm, and showers stay likely Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday is the cooler, damper day at about 26°C (79°F), so pack a light rain jacket for the catrina opening on the Malecón. A stray shower is possible Thursday and Friday, then the weekend looks dry for the big Día de Muertos nights.
Cruise days (busier Centro / Malecón):
Tue Oct 27: Carnival Panorama
Wed Oct 28: Discovery Princess
Thu Oct 29: Norwegian Encore + Carnival Firenze (double-ship day, so run Centro errands early)
Schedules can change. No fresh citywide SEAPAL cut this week as of Saturday; still smart to keep a few liters handy when storms hit.
🍹 Eat & drink tease
Full roundup Friday. We won’t rehash the whole calendar then, just what’s still delicious this weekend.
Purpose soft-opened in Versalles (Calle Roma 193). Indian from the Rico Indian team. Butter chicken and garlic naan are the hits. Open 5–10 pm, closed Mondays.
Awaysis (Aquiles Serdán 625) season five starts Thu Oct 29 with Slice & Smash: smashburgers and pizza in the neighborhood bar.
Plus Sabores que vuelven restaurant specials tied to Festival de las Almas.
💬 Palabra del día
cempasúchil (sem-pah-SOO-cheel): the marigold that guides souls home on Día de Muertos.
Example: “Voy a comprar cempasúchil para la ofrenda.”
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That’s your week, amigos. Go say hi to a catrina for us. See you Wednesday.
The Vallarta Confidential crew
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