Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. The 20th edition of the Vallarta Azteca International Folklore Festival, better known as FESTVA, is filling Puerto Vallarta with traditional music, color and dance through Saturday, May 9.
Organizers and local reports list about 1,200 dancers, 21 Mexican groups and five international delegations representing Bolivia, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica and Latvia. Most public events are free, while select Teatro Vallarta programs carry a reported 200-peso admission to help cover festival logistics.
For visitors, the easiest midweek stops are the public performances around downtown and the markets. On Wednesday, May 6, the schedule includes a noon pop-up at the Río Cuale Market and a 6:00 p.m. presentation at La Isla Shopping Village. Friday adds more market programming, and the grand closing concert is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at 6:00 p.m. at La Lija Cultural Center.
The festival has also used central landmarks such as Puerto Vallarta’s Malecón and the Cuale River Municipal Market, making it a convenient cultural add-on for travelers already exploring downtown.
Festival director Tony Salcedo and city cultural representatives have framed the anniversary edition as both a visitor attraction and a cultural-exchange program, with school, market and neighborhood activities extending the celebration beyond the stage.
