Fall Festivals and Fishing Tournaments: Upcoming Events in Los Cabos
Autumn is traditionally the busiest season for events in Los Cabos, offering a wide array of popular and highly anticipated fiestas that range from big money fishing tournaments and rock star conclaves to festivals celebrating comedy, film and regional cuisine.
With that in mind, here’s the scoop on five of this fall’s biggest events:
Image: Virginiambe
Mexican Independence Day
México’s Independence Day is celebrated annually on September 16, but festivities typically begin on the evening of the 15th, with reenactments by public officials of Miguel Hidalgo’s 1810 Grito de Dolores—a call for revolution that ultimately (11 years and many battles later) led to México’s independence from Spain—followed by food, drinks, live music and dancing, and of course fireworks. Grito reenactments take place in both Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo at 11 p.m. on September 15th, and culminate with Hidalgo’s famous rallying cry: ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México! ¡Viva México! Parades are the featured entertainment on the 16th, and take place the following day in both cape cities. Events in San Jose del Cabo are centered around Plaza Mijares, while in San Lucas the parade begins at the Cultural Pavilion, Pabellón Cultural de la República, and winds down Marina Boulevard before merging onto Calle Lázaro Cárdenas and finishing on Paseo del Pescador.
Cabo Comedy Festival
Last year’s inaugural comedy festival brought many of the world’s best stand-up comedians to Cabo San Lucas, with memorable performances—in English and Spanish—at local nightclubs like Cabo Wabo Cantina, Desperados, Pink Kitty and Hard Rock Café. The laughs return to Land’s End October 1 – 5, 2014, and although the line-up is not yet official, performers are expected to include include Ahmed Ahmed, Alonzo Bodden, Heather McDonald, Kevin Pollak , Paul Provenza and Bobby Slayton. Admission will be free for select afternoon shows, which are being taped as part of the NUVOtv series Stand Up and Deliver. Evening shows require tickets. For information about ticketing, related parties and events, and participating area businesses, visit the Cabo Comedy Festival website at http://cabocomedyfestival.com/.
Image: Matt Becker
Sammy Hagar Birthday Bash
Sammy Hagar fans come from all over the world for the Red Rocker’s annual Birthday Bash, which always includes several sold-out shows at his local nightclub, Cabo Wabo Cantina. This year the former Montrose and Van Halen frontman, and long-time local icon will celebrate his 67th birthday with performances on October 7, 9, 11 and 13. Guests will include Michael Anthony, Jason Bonham and Vic Johnson, plus the usual array of rock stars and other celebrities. Tickets are disbursed months in advance through a registration and random drawing process, but some dinner tickets (includes dinner and show for $90) will be sold on a first come, first serve basis (noon on Oct. 6 and 10/limit 2 per person). For more information, visit http://www.redrocker.com/ events/2014-10-07/cabo-wabo-cantina-birthday-bash-night-1.
Image: Geno Perches
Bisbee’s Big and Little
Bisbee’s Black and Blue and Los Cabos Offshore tournaments, affectionately referred to as “Big” and “Little” Bisbee’s, are staples of the October events calendar, and annually draw some of the world’s best big-game fishermen (and fisherwomen) to Baja Sur. The Black and Blue, often billed as the world’s richest fishing tournament, will take place October 21 – 25, 2014, and as always, will offer million dollar plus payouts to the team that bags the biggest blue or black marlin. The Los Cabos Offshore pays out cash prizes and daily jackpots for game (tuna and dorado) and billfish, with this year’s event scheduled to take place 17 – 19, 2014. For more information about rules, entry fees or the schedules of events, visit http://www.bisbees.com/.
Los Cabos International Film Festival
The inaugural entry in this series, then called the Baja International Film Festival, was an event of awesome proportions, with A-list movie stars and VIP cocktail parties and screenings at spectacular locations around Los Cabos. In the two years since, the name has changed and the focus has shifted, with less emphasis on star power, and more on promoting Mexican filmmakers and strengthening bonds with the U.S. and Canadian film industries. The 2014 edition will take place November 12 – 16, with screenings at Pabellón Cultural de la República, as well as at outdoor locations in Cabo San Lucas (overlooking the Marina) and San José del Cabo (Plaza Mijares). The schedule has not been set, but highlights are expected to include the North American premiere of Words With Gods, the first film in the highly anticipated four part Heartbeat of the World series. For more information about tickets, screenings and parties, visit the festival website at http://cabosfilmfestival.com/.