Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - Join the Club Rotario Puerto Vallarta A.C. and Sister City Highland Park, Illinois, as they raise money for three good causes with the juiciest event: the 3rd Puerto Vallarta Mango Festival, set to be held at Lazaro Cardenas Park on Saturday, July 6th from 4:00 to 10:00 pm.

Come out and celebrate the sweetest produce of the summer - mangoes! - while enjoying delicious dishes and drinks made with the 'King of Tropical Fruit,' provided by local restaurants, as well as a musical and artistic show specially prepared for the occasion.

To date, 15 restaurants: The Blue Shrimp, Si Señor, 8 Tostadas, Vallarta Botanical Gardens, Sushi in House, El Patrón, Hotel Los Arcos, La Sarandería, Ándale, Café des Artistes, Destilería de Raicilla 'La Lulú', Frida's Kitchen, India Gate, Mamá Sirena and Mariscos Beto have confirmed participation; and at least three more are expected to confirm in the coming days.

This year's participating restaurants are donating the mango-flavored dish or drink that they're creating for the festival, so all proceeds can go to the altruistic causes. Tickets for sampling their culinary creations will be sold for 25 pesos each. Event entrance and entertainment are free.

According to the president of the Puerto Vallarta – Highland Park Sister Cities Committee, Javier Baumgarten, the resources that are collected from the Mango Festival will be allocated to three charitable causes.

The first of them is the 'DesembocArte' Project, led by Mr. José María Rosales, a former student of the Isla Cuale workshops who now lives in in La Desembocada, Jalisco and has given himself to the task of sharing what he learned in this cultural space with children in his community. The children will be showing some of their work at the Puerto Vallarta Mango Festival.

Another part of the funds will be given to 'Los Fridos,' an organization that teaches plastic arts and music to kids in the Colonia Educación neighborhood of Puerto Vallarta. This program also seeks to contribute to the children's overall development.

The third of the causes that will be supported is the Puerto Vallarta Rotary Club, which will use the funds to purchase a leg prosthesis for a local patient, as well as to strengthen their Health Brigades, which provide medical, dental and ophthalmological care in the municipality's most remote neighborhoods and communities.

Rotarian and Vice President of the Sister Cities Committee, Jorge Tomas McManus, said that last year's event was attended by about 600 people, and raises around 17,000 pesos, of which 50% was delivered to participating restaurants and the rest was provided in support of the local charitable causes that were chosen as the beneficiaries of the second annual Puerto Vallarta Mango Festival.

Thanks to the support of the municipal government and cultural institute, and the local media in helping to spread the word, between 800-1000 people are expected to attend the 3rd Annual Puerto Vallarta Mango Festival. Organizers are hoping to raise around 30,000 pesos this year - ALL of which will be divided equally between the three altruistic causes.

Source: puertovallarta.gob.mx