Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Sept. 12, 2026 – Puerto Vallarta will hold its 2026 Independence festivities Sept. 13–16, with civic ceremonies, downtown parades, the Grito, fireworks and live music.
The municipal announcement places the main activities at Plaza de Armas, the municipal palace and the Malecón. The city described the public program as free.
The central celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 15. The Grito is scheduled for 11 p.m., followed by fireworks at 11:30 p.m. and a midnight concert.
Downtown access and conflicting public times
Residents, commuters and bus riders will see the clearest impact in Centro. A detailed account of the parade routes says both processions will begin on Calle Ignacio L. Vallarta.
Participants will continue along the Malecón and finish near the Ley supermarket. The parades begin at 10 a.m. Sept. 14 and 9 a.m. Sept. 16.
The published program does not provide street-closure windows or bus detours. Last year’s downtown traffic restrictions should not be used for current planning because they applied only to the 2025 events.
Our review also found conflicting information on government websites. A state tourism listing says the Sept. 15 festivities begin at 8 p.m. and the Sept. 16 parade starts at 11 a.m.
The newly issued city program lists the main-stage opening at 6:30 p.m. and the parade at 9 a.m. PVDN is using the city’s timetable because it is newer and provides a complete sequence of events. As with many things in Mexico, there is inconsistency in providing accurate information.
Plaza de Armas is at Independencia s/n in Centro. Fireworks are scheduled along the Malecón at 11:30 p.m. Sept. 15.
Puerto Vallarta’s four-day program
According to the full program released Saturday, the schedule is:
- Sunday, Sept. 13 at 8 a.m. — Civic ceremony marking the Battle of Chapultepec at Plaza de Armas.
- Monday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. — Charro parade from Calle Ignacio L. Vallarta, along the Malecón and ending near Ley.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 8 a.m. — Solemn City Council session at Plaza de Armas.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. — DJ Zuar, a batucada performance and pre-Hispanic dance at the main stage.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. — Ballet Folklórico Cuauhtémoc and Mariachi Internacional Real de América.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 8:30 p.m. — Mariachi Internacional Real de América continues on the main stage.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 9:30 p.m. — Grupo Caché performs.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 11 p.m. — Grito de Independencia from the municipal palace.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 11:30 p.m. — Fireworks along the Malecón.
- Wednesday, Sept. 16 at midnight — Banda Vallejo closes the evening program.
- Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 8 a.m. — Civic ceremony for the 216th anniversary of Mexico’s independence at Plaza de Armas.
- Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 9 a.m. — Civic-military parade along the same route as the charro parade.
Program followed a council request for publicity
The city released the schedule shortly before the first ceremony. During a Sept. 10 council meeting, Councilmember Laurel Carrillo Ventura asked Mayor Luis Munguía to order its publication.
“Mayor, I ask for your support. Please instruct the appropriate department to publicize the Fiestas Patrias program so residents can learn in advance about the events on the agenda,” Carrillo Ventura said, translated from Spanish by PVDN.
Carrillo Ventura, who leads the council’s Culture Commission, said the program had not appeared on the city’s social-media accounts. The city published the schedule two days later.
At the same meeting, all 16 council members approved Plaza de Armas as the alternate official venue for the Sept. 15 solemn session.
El Pitillal has a separate celebration
The Centro program is not the city’s only Independence celebration. A separate schedule for El Pitillal includes events at the delegation plaza.
The neighborhood queen competition concludes at 8 p.m. Sept. 13. Eight candidates represent Coapinole, Bobadilla, Centro, Villa de Guadalupe, Loma Bonita, Del Toro, Vista Hermosa and San Esteban.
El Pitillal will hold its own Grito on Sept. 15, followed by fireworks and music from Banda La Tierrona. Its civic parade is scheduled for the morning of Sept. 16.
The delegation’s program continues Sept. 19 with its third Miss Trans de las Fiestas Patrias competition at the El Pitillal plaza.
