Puerto Vallarta Presents Free Indigenous Culture Week on Cuale Island

Puerto Vallarta is hosting a free week-long celebration of Indigenous culture on Cuale River Island, running from September 14 to 20, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. The event, called Celebrando Nuestras Raíces (Celebrating Our Roots), offers visitors a chance to experience traditional foods, workshops, and dances, all presented by community members from various Indigenous groups.

Celebrando Nuestras Raíces is organized by the municipal Pluricultural and Multiethnic Liaison Office in collaboration with the Vallarta Institute of Culture and participating communities. Councilor Laurel Carrillo Ventura, who chairs the city culture commission, emphasizes that the event aims to bring residents and visitors closer to living Indigenous traditions. She states, 'Our diversity does not separate us; it enriches us and strengthens us as a society.'

The Cuale Cultural Center, located on the island between downtown Puerto Vallarta and the Romantic Zone, will host Indigenous chefs and participants from Oaxaca and Guerrero. Visitors can sample traditional dishes such as wood-fired dishes, tamales, bread, tacos, stews, traditional sweets, and specialty drinks. Cultural workshops are also scheduled daily from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., including activities like Lele doll making, God’s eyes, ancestral medicine, and artisanal ice cream. Traditional dances, folkloric groups, and guest artists, such as Ángelo Covarrubias, who won the state Suenan las Juventudes competition, will be part of the program.

Organizers invite families and visitors to drop in across the seven days, making the event open and accessible to all. This event is part of the city's efforts to highlight and preserve Indigenous cultures, fostering a sense of unity and appreciation for the diverse heritage of Puerto Vallarta and its surrounding areas.