Riverfest is a two-day music festival dedicated entirely to supporting one of Puerto Vallarta’s longest-serving and best-loved non-profits, Pasitos de Luz. Enjoy some of Vallarta’s top bands, as well as sampling food from its top restaurants, while also supporting a very worthy cause. This is a genuinely feel-good musical event.
The 9th annual Riverfest is being held on Saturday February 29th and Sunday March 1st at El Rio BBQ Bar in Paso Ancho, a lush and leafy neighbourhood found just behind downtown Puerto Vallarta, straddling the beautiful Cuale River. The festival raises vital funds for Pasitos de Luz, a local non-profit that helps local kids with disabilities to walk, talk and reach their full potential. Pasitos de Luz means “little steps of light” and makes miracles happen every single day. The money raised at Riverfest will go to support the day-to-day running of this daycare and therapy centre, which is a lifeline for over 130 families.
Riverfest line-ups are always eagerly anticipated and this year is no exception. What with El Rio BBQ Bar hosting such a dizzying array of musical talent week in week out, it is amazing that Kurt, its owner, is able to handpick the 12 acts for Riverfest.
The Saturday of Riverfest 9 features headliners Los Bambinos and Sylvie & The Zippers, two of PV’s favourite bands. The four Morales brothers of Los Bambinos will get you rocking to the sounds of Queen, The Beatles and other music legends, while Sylvie and her band will see out Saturday with plenty of 70s and 80s good-time tunes. Food is being provided by El Rio BBQ, Barcelona Tapas and Porto Bello.
The second day of Riverfest has a slightly more Latin feel. Closing out the Sunday will be Johanna’s Band and Media Luna. Johanna, like a musical magpie, has acquired many influences along her musical journey, including jazz, R&B and Latin soul, while Media Luna, made up of two brothers, Caleb and Jair Cabrera and their cousin Gibran, combine gypsy rumba, flamenco, rock and huapango.
Admission is only $100 pesos per person at the gate, a donation that goes directly to the chosen charity.
For full Riverfest 9 details and band times, please visit https://pasitosdeluz.org/events/riverfest-9-at-el-rio-bbq-bar/
