Festivals and Fun
Special Events in Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa, Mexico
Major Mexican Holidays and constantly updated information on local Ixtapa Zihuatanejo area special events, festivals and fun goings-on about town
Domingos Culturales
Every Sunday evening throughout the year, the municipality and the local Casa de la Cultura put on what are known as “Domingos Culturales“, or Cultural Sundays. These take place at the central plaza where the basketball court and bandstand are located at the base of Cuauhtemoc Street in downtown Zihuatanejo. Presentations include music and dance performances, art exhibits, educational talks, children’s clown and puppet shows and general family-oriented fun. Usually there are a few popcorn, tamale and ice cream vendors in the immediate area and often full-blown regional food and crafts shows are also set up in the square.
Regional Dancing
Unlimited Fun
Begun in 2009 and running straight through from mid-December until early April 2010, the municipality’s “Unlimited Fun” program brings cultural and community events to the streets of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo, including gastronomic street fairs supported by the local restaurants and hotels; music and dance performances featuring a huge variety of groups and artists, including regional dances in traditional costumes; arts and crafts fairs and exhibitions, musical concerts by local musicians and visiting artists, children’s theater works and choral presentations. The first year brought Unlimited Fun events to the streets of Ixtapa every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and to Zihuatanejo every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the entire winter season. With “Unlimited Fun”, the municipality of Zihuatanejo de Azueta strives to be considered the best and most enduring community and cultural festival in Mexico.
Paco Renteria in Ixtapa
Carnival
In 2005 Zihuatanejo brought Carnival festivities (Carnaval) back into the forefront, and in the intervening years the gala events have done nothing but grow and become more elaborate. There is music, contests, specialty foods, arts & crafts sales and showing and lots of other entertainment during carnival week prior to Fat Tuesday. Dates are variable.
Festivities usually include the traditional Carnival activities: Rumbatas and processions in the street, the Quema del Mal Humor, coronation of the Carnival King and Queen, parades with elaborately decorated floats and marching bands, and a gala mask and costume ball.
For more information contact Turismo Municipal: Tel. (755) 554-2001; Academy of Tourism: (755) 554-6945
Carnaval Zihuatanejo
Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival
The Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival began in April 2004 with the participation of a wonderful group of International and Mexican musicians. Since that beginning, the festival yearly brings to the streets and venues of Zihuatanejo a fabulous range of musicians and musical genres, including classical, jazz, blues, traditional folk, rock and flamenco.
Join Zihuatanejo for a week of fabulous music in paradise and make your plans to visit for Guitarfest this coming year!
Guitar Fest is a totally sponsor-funded event. The organizers are always seeking active advertisers and sponsors to support the cause. If you’d like to support music in Paradise and help promote music education and other local charitable projects, visit the Guitar Fest website for application forms and more information.
San Jeronimito River Regatta
Every year in October, local boating and rafting enthusiasts get ready for the Annual San Jeronimito River Regatta – a fun event that takes place in San Jeronimito, near the town of Petatlan just south of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, with an exciting river race, great food, music and conviviality [ … more ]
San Jeronimito Regatta
Annual Zihuatanejo Sailfest
An annual sailing and cruisers event held to raise funds to help support many of the local indigenous schools that are lacking resources.
The Zihuatanejo Sail Fest “is a five-day festival that combines fun and games, heart-felt volunteerism and an outpouring of international friendship. Although the tone of the event is light-hearted, the cruisers’ goals are serious – to raise funds for the education of Zihuatanejo’s poorest children. Cocktail parties, live auctions, sailboat and dingy races, poker chases, kids day, beach parties, seminars, ham radio tests, chili cook-offs, street fairs, regattas and just some good old fashioned manual labor at the schools are just some of the events that highlight this gathering of ‘free spirits’. ”
Full Zihuatanejo Sailfest information can be obtained from the official site at: http://www.zihuasailfest.com
Zihuatanejo Sailfest
