Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – The 17th Festival Vallarta Azteca de Folclor Internacional, an event celebrating folkloric dance expressions from all over Mexico and several other countries, begins on April 30, and continues through May 7, 2023.
This year’s folkloric dance festival features dance troupes from 8 Mexican states: Michoacán, Coahuila, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tabasco, Chihuahua, Veracruz and Jalisco. Each state has their own representative dances. In addition, groups from four countries: Chile, Costa Rica, Bulgaria and the West African country of Togo, have been invited to take part in the festival.
Public events begin at 9:00 am on Monday, May 1 with a thanksgiving mass at the iconic Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in downtown Puerto Vallarta. This will be followed by the Baile Conmigo event in the main plaza at 10:00 am.
On Tuesday, May 2, an exhibition of typical dance costumes, which will be on display at the Municipal Presidency (City Hall) throughout the festival, will be ceremoniously opened at 11 am.
But the festival REALLY kicks off at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, May 2 with a grand parade that starts at the Hotel Gran Buenaventura and continues down the Malecón to the Los Arcos amphitheater, where the 17th Festival Vallarta Azteca de Folclor Internacional will be officially inaugurated.
From May 3-9, there will be free performances taking place in venues in greater Puerto Vallarta including Los Arcos del Malecón, Plaza Pitillal, Plaza de Ixtapa, Plaza El Canton and Plaza Las Palmas. According to event organizer Antonio Salcedo, each folkloric dance group will perform a 45 minute repertoire with pieces emblematic of the state or country they represent. All performances begin at 7:00 pm.
On Sunday, May 7 at 7:00 pm, a ‘Gala Performance’ presented by local, national and visiting folkloric dance groups will bring the festival to a spectacular end at Teatro Vallarta. FREE tickets for this special event will be available via the Instituto Vallartense de Cultura Facebook page.
Photos from past Vallarta Folkloric Festivals, and more information about this year’s performances and events, can be found on the Festival Vallarta Azteca del Folclor Internacional Facebook page.