Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The bougainvillea trees that beautify Puerto Vallarta provide an authentic Vallarta experience for everyone who visits our little slice of heaven here on Bahia de Banderas. It is also a reminder to those who live here of just how lucky we are!

The PV Garden Club, in order to promote the beauty of our city and encourage its growth, proudly announces the launch of the first Puerto Vallarta Bougainvillea Festival to be held May 17th - 24th.

Working to transform Vallarta into "The City of Bougainvilleas", local businesses, visitors, and residents alike are busy planting trees, landscaping balconies, designing festival activities and getting ready for a week full of celebrations. Each year as the blossoms increase and the trees grow, the word will spread, and as with the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC, the Bougainvillea Festival will draw more and more visitors and residents will enjoy our city even more.

Beginning with a candlelight procession down the Malecón, highlights will also include a "Salute to Mexico" street party, guided bus tours to the Vallarta Botanical Gardens, guided walking tours downtown, and Mexican folk dancing presentations.

"We're especially excited that we scheduled the Bougainvillea Festival to coincide with Restaurant Week in Puerto Vallarta," shares No Way Jose!'s owner Julie Guerrero, Chairperson of the Festival. "There will be more than ever to experience in our destination during May. It's a beautiful month of the year with bougainvillea in full bloom. Top it off with Restaurant Week options and everyone will have a really fun time."

So save the dates now and be sure that you participate in the launch of the first-ever Puerto Vallarta Bougainvillea Festival. You will want to be part of this historic event that will turn Vallarta into the Bougainvillea capital of the world!

Garden club meetings are held every third Thursday at 11 am at the Paradise Community Center. We host guest speakers, the opportunity to volunteer for our projects, and a new place to make and foster friendships. For more information, to volunteer to work on the Bougainvillea Festival Committee, make a donation, or join the Puerto Vallarta Garden Club send your contact information to: vallartagardenclub2012(at)@gmail.com. A member of the Vallarta Garden Club will contact you to get you involved.

Check out our website at www.vallartagardenclub.com, or join us on Facebook and keep up to date with progress on the Festival.