Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - There's always so much going on in Puerto Vallarta and around Banderas Bay, it can be difficult to keep up with it all. Here's a look at some upcoming happenings around the Bay, a few community announcements, and a couple of this weekend's events that you won't want to miss.

Puerto Vallarta Commemorate International Animal Rights Day

Celebrated around the world on December 10th, International Animal Rights Day aims to serve the purpose of reminding human beings that every creature on the planet deserves to be treated with equal kindness and respect. In commemoratation of International Animal Rights Day, the City of Puerto Vallarta and local organizations are hosting 4 days of events to raise awareness and have fun in our community. The celebrations started on Wednesday, December 10th with a series of lectures and demonstrations at Hotel Puerto de Luna, and continue on Friday, December 12 at 6 pm with a lecture on Exotic Animals in Los Pájaros Park, located at Golondrina and Petirrojo in Colony Los Sauces. Following the lecture there will be a Christmas Costume contest for your pets; entry fee to the contest is a donated bag of pet food. Then, on Saturday, December 13, a lecture will be presented on the birds of Puerto Vallarta by the Birds of Paradise at Plaza Caracol at 4 pm, followed by a Feline Beauty Contest by Angelicat at 5 pm. Entry cost is a donated bag of cat food or cat litter. The events will conclude on Sunday, December 14 at 10 am with The Race for Animal Rights at Hotel Puerto de Luna, where owners and pets will race for first place in one of 3 size categories. Entry fee is $100 pesos. If you are unable to attend these events, please consider making a donation of any kind to one of our local charities and organizations that support animals in need.

Corazón de Artista Benefit at Tuna Blanca

Come out to Tuna Blanca Restaurant in Punta de Mita on Tuesday, December 16th at 7 pm for the Corazón de Artista fundraiser. You'll enjoy an unforgettable evening of fabulous food, music, fun and friendship, while supporting Casa Hogar Corazón de Niña. For the enjoyment of all guests, Tuna Blanca Owner/Chef Thierry Blouet will be preparing a 5-course gourmet dinner, La Palapa Restaurant Owner/Entertainer Alberto Perez and the very talented guitarist Eduardo León will provide the evening's musical entertainment, and artist Freddy Vejar will be painting on site throughout the evening. A cash bar will be available. Tickets cost $100 USD per person, with 70% of the proceeds benefitting Casa Hogar Corazón de Niña, a local non-profit children’s shelter dedicated to providing housing, education, food, medical care and love to young girls who have been removed from their homes due to unstable living conditions. Rather than housing girls in an institutional setting, Corazón de Niña provides a real home with house parents. Counseling, education and long-term support are priorities of the home. It is the only home for girls over the age of 12 in Puerto Vallarta. For more information or to inquire about transportation from Puerto Vallarta, call Tuna Blanca at (322) 222-3228 or Corazón de Niña at (322) 224-9209.

Help the PV Garden Club Beautify Vallarta!

Are you missing working in the garden and getting your hands dirty? The PV Garden Club (PVGC) would love to have you come and add your energy to our efforts to beautify Puerto Vallarta. The PVGC's mission is to beautify and protect the environment through civic planting projects and education and horticultural programs in Puerto Vallarta for the enjoyment of our residents and visitors. Please join us on Tuesday morning December 16th at 9:00 at Insurgentes (same as highway 200) coming north from Romantic Zone crossing bridge. After getting off the bridge, the coffee shop/cigar shop, Vallarta Cigar, is located at the corner of Insurgentes and first street (Agustin Rodriguez) to left after bridge (directly across the HSBC Bank and the Municipal Flea Market.) Come at 8:30 for coffee. This will be the last work detail till after Christmas. If you have them, please bring work gloves, pruners, and diggers. From past experience, it is amazing how much can get done with at least 12 volunteers. If you can join in the effort, please send an email to PVGC member, Jim Dumke at jadumke(at)aol.com. If you are interested in making Puerto Vallarta more beautiful, tourist friendly, and increasingly prosperous, please visit the PVGC website, VallartaGardenClub.com, for more information and meeting times. New members are always welcome - and needed!

Free Puerto Vallarta Malecon Sculpture Tours

This season's Malecón Sculpture Tours, conducted by Galeria Pacifico owner Gary Thompson, take place at 9:30 am on Tuesday mornings. These free walking tours start at the "Millenium" sculpture next to the Rosita Hotel at the north end of the Malecón, where it’s creator, Mathis Lidice, explains the complex symbols and his inspiration for this creation. After approximately two hours of exploring the sculptures that line the Malecón and learning the stories behind them, the tour ends at Galería Pacífico at 174 Aldama Street, downtown. Free beverages are provided, and on most days the guests get to meet another sculptor whose work is featured on the tour, Jim Demetro. The artist explains the inspiration behind his public sculptures in Vallarta, including the "Dancers of Vallarta," "Woman Washing Clothes," and "Andale Bernardo," his most recent sculpture of a burro at Lázaro Cárdenas Park. The tours will continue through the middle of April 2015. More information may be obtained by calling Galería Pacifico at (322) 222-1982 or by emailing GaleriaPacifico(at)gmail.com

Weekend Events in Puerto Vallarta and Around Banderas Bay
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• Puerto Vallarta Celebrates Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe

• Sea Monkey Hosts 'Luau' in Support of PuRR Project

• Vallarta Orchid Conservatory Grand Opening Activities