Parade night, then a week of fish, fire, and farmers
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¡Feliz lunes, amigos!
Today is Día de Muertos itself, and the bay saves its biggest night for last. Tonight the Grand Parade carries the catrinas from the old cemetery down to the sea. After that the week winds down gently, then picks right back up with a fishing tournament, a barbecue festival, and the return of the Saturday farmers market.
📅 The week ahead
Monday, Nov. 2nd (Día de Muertos)
5:30pm: the Grand Parade, "La Marea de las Ánimas," forms at the Panteón Municipal 5 de Diciembre and kicks off at 6pm. It heads through Centro and finishes around 8pm at the Los Muertos pier. Last year drew more than 35,000 people, so claim your curb early and bring water.
7pm: live music in the Plaza de Armas kiosk and in Parque Lázaro Cárdenas.
8 to 10pm: mariachi concert with Lucio Silva at the Los Muertos pier, a nice way to land once the parade arrives.
7pm: last night of "Memorias entre tumbas," with legends and theater inside the Panteón Municipal.
Tuesday, Nov. 3rd
6pm: "Huellitas del más allá," a community walk for the pets we've lost, leaves from Calle 31 de Octubre and heads to Los Arcos. Leashed dogs are welcome.
7:15pm: the pet altar "Huellas que vuelven a casa" opens on the esplanade of the Instituto Vallartense de Cultura, Isla del Cuale.
Last day to see the 50 monumental catrinas on the Malecón. Morning walks beat the crowds and the heat.
Thursday, Nov. 5th
Espontáneo Festival Escénico, a contemporary performing arts festival, opens and runs through Nov. 14th. We'll share the best picks Wednesday.
Friday, Nov. 6th
The 19th Torneo de Pesca Playa Los Muertos starts at the Los Muertos pier and runs through Saturday. Dorado is the big prize, and part of the catch usually goes to local nonprofits. Good people watching at the pier when the boats come in.
Evening: Ballet Xiutla performs a Día de Muertos show in Parque Lázaro Cárdenas (free).
Weekend, Nov. 7th and 8th
Saturday, 9am to 2pm: the Olas Altas Farmers Market opens its season in Parque Lázaro Cárdenas and runs every Saturday through May.
Saturday and Sunday: The Grill Festival at the convention center (CICPV) in Marina Vallarta, with barbecue competitions, live fire cooking, cocktails, and a kids' zone (tickets).
7pm, both nights: Ballet Folclórico Yolotl Atlapech brings "Xantolo," the Día de Muertos celebration of the Huasteca region, to Los Arcos (free).
Festival times can shift, so check the official festival program before you head out tonight.
📌 Need to know
🏦 Banks are closed today. Branches are shut for Día de Muertos and reopen Tuesday. ATMs and banking apps keep working.
🎒 Schools are back Tuesday. Public schools are off today, so expect families downtown all afternoon and a busier school run Tuesday morning.
🚗 Parade traffic and cemeteries. The city still hasn't published a list of street closures. Plan on Centro and the Zona Romántica being slow from late afternoon, and walk or take a taxi rather than hunting for parking near the route. If you're visiting a cemetery today, police are posted at all eight, and alcohol and glass bottles aren't allowed inside.
🚧 Las Palmas and Av. México. SEAPAL's sewer work at the intersection is in its second week of an estimated two-week closure. Keep using the signed detours (Palma Areka and Bahía de Tenacatita heading north) until it reopens.
🚢 Cruise ships. The Disney Magic is in port today. Another two ships, the Norwegian Encore and the Carnival Firenze, are expected around Thursday. The port calls the schedule tentative.
☀️ Weather: a hazy 25°C (77°F) to start the morning, heading to a hot high near 32°C (90°F). There's about a one in three chance of a brief shower today, so an umbrella for the parade isn't a bad idea. Tuesday and Wednesday look dry, Thursday brings the best chance of rain this week, and nights stay warm in the low 20s°C (low 70s°F).
🍽️ Food tease
Last call for Sabores que vuelven. The seasonal Día de Muertos menus at participating Centro and Zona Romántica restaurants end Saturday, Nov. 7th. Book directly with the restaurant.
The big one is coming. The 31st Festival Gourmet International runs Nov. 12th to 22nd, with more than 25 host restaurants and visiting chefs. It opens with the Grand Gourmet Village, an all-inclusive tasting night at Garza Blanca, $2,200 MXN per person (tickets). Chef's tables sell out, so look now. Our full guide lands Friday.
Palabra del día
con permiso (kohn per-MEE-soh): "excuse me" when you need to pass through or step past someone. It's the polite way to move through a crowd, and you'll hear it a hundred times on parade night. The usual reply is "propio" or "pásale."
Example: "Con permiso, ¿puedo pasar?" (Excuse me, may I get by?)
That's the week, amigos. Find a good spot tonight, light a candle for someone you miss, and we'll see you Wednesday.
The Vallarta Confidential crew
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