PUERTO VALLARTA, Jalisco, Sept. 14, 2026 — More than 120 charros rode through downtown Puerto Vallarta on Monday for National Charro Day, joined by escaramuzas and youth teams.
Participants assembled shortly after 11 a.m. at Ignacio L. Vallarta and Lázaro Cárdenas streets in Emiliano Zapata.
It counted more than 120 charros and 50 additional participants from local teams. Escaramuzas, children, and members of rope-trick schools joined the procession.
The group stopped outside the Municipal Presidency, where participants demonstrated rope work before Mayor Luis Munguía. Riders then continued north along the Malecón.
The procession finished near the Ley supermarket in 5 de Diciembre. The post-event account placed its duration at slightly more than 20 minutes.
Downtown routes changed for residents and commuters
The city’s published Fiestas Patrias schedule had listed a 10 a.m. start, about an hour before participants assembled.
Our review of the municipal schedule and advance traffic notices confirmed the event and route. The turnout estimate came from the post-event reporting.
Before the procession, the municipal traffic plan redirected Centro-bound buses at Perú and Panamá beginning at 8 a.m.
Morelos closed at Corona at 8:30 a.m. Juárez temporarily operated in both directions between Corona and Agustín Rodríguez.
Drivers were then directed toward Insurgentes, according to PVDN’s advance report on the downtown traffic changes. The controls affected several Centro connections beyond the Malecón parade corridor.
Escaramuzas and younger participants join the route
Post-event coverage said escaramuzas rode in traditional dresses while children accompanied adults along the route. Schools teaching floreo de reata, or decorative rope work, also participated.
The inclusion of schools reflects how charrería is organized beyond public parades. UNESCO describes charrería as a tradition maintained through associations and schools that train members for public performances and competition.
UNESCO says men and women participate in different categories. It also identifies the practice as a way communities pass skills and social values between generations. The organization added charrería to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016.
Part of Puerto Vallarta’s civic calendar
National Charro Day is observed across Mexico on Sept. 14, immediately before the country’s Independence Day ceremonies.
Puerto Vallarta placed Monday’s procession within its Sept. 13-16 Fiestas Patrias program. The municipal itinerary also includes the Grito de Independencia at the Municipal Presidency and the civic-military parade along the Malecón.
The Asociación Charros de Vallarta coordinated the charro procession with the Puerto Vallarta municipal government, according to the post-event report.
