Puerto Vallarta’s giant Day of the Dead icon is set to rise again on the Malecón. State tourism officials confirmed a Fidetur request for 2,023,000 pesos to assemble the towering figure this year, with organizers planning to reuse parts from last season. The aim is simple: keep the spectacle, trim the spend, and cut waste. The move comes after past budgets stirred debate, even as the project drew big crowds. Here’s what the ask means, how it compares to prior years, and what visitors can expect on the waterfront.
Puerto Vallarta Catrina
The city’s signature figure has grown into a global calling card. Guinness recognized the installation in 2022, and the Catrina has since anchored Puerto Vallarta’s Day of the Dead season with a towering presence on the Malecón. The piece blends public art and tradition, and it’s now part of how the city tells its story each fall.
State tourism officials confirmed that Puerto Vallarta’s tourism trust, Fidetur, filed a 2,023,000-peso request to assemble this year’s statue. Organizers plan to recycle components from last year’s build to save money and reduce waste. Local outlet Vallarta Hoy first reported the amount and the reuse plan.
Work is slated to start this week, so the piece is ready before Day of the Dead. It will be the fifth consecutive year the monumental figure greets crowds along the seafront, turning the lighthouse area into an open-air stage.
What a smaller budget could mean
The request is notably lower than the 3.3 million pesos reported for the 2023 record-breaking build, a price tag that drew scrutiny even as the piece drove buzz. A leaner figure suggests a practical approach: maintain the height and impact while skipping a costly reset. In 2024, the city still mounted the installation. It wrapped it into the broader “Recuérdame” festivities—altars, sugar skulls, and performances spread across the Malecón—showing the tradition stands on more than one headline structure.
For visitors and locals, the experience should feel familiar: a towering silhouette against the bay, crowds orbiting for photos, and cultural programming woven around it. Reusing parts can also shorten build time and reduce materials sent to landfills. The trust’s request focuses on assembly rather than a complete redesign. That choice fits a season when the city’s priority is reliability on the waterfront.
The current ask does not by itself signal another Guinness push. Officials have not said they will chase a new measurement or outfit that triggers a fresh record attempt. In past seasons, the spectacle drew global attention, regardless of whether a judge held a tape.
If approved as requested, the Puerto Vallarta Catrina would rise again as the festival’s centerpiece—big enough to stop you mid-stride, familiar enough to feel like a seasonal neighbor. The reuse plan signals a practical year: the same showpiece, less strain on the budget, and a nod to sustainability. We’ll watch for the final authorization and any tweaks as crews begin assembly on the Malecón.
