Fiestas de Cabo San Lucas 2026: the October festival for Saint Luke, night by night

The Fiestas Tradicionales de Cabo San Lucas 2026 run from Friday, October 16 to Tuesday, October 20, built around Saint Luke's Day on October 18. There is a concert every night, from Ingrid Contreras and Los Perdidos de Sinaloa on the 16th to Alemán, Neton Vega and Luis R on the 20th. On Sunday the 18th, the Gran Cabalgata horse parade leaves at 3:00 PM.

This is the town's own festival, organized by the Los Cabos city government (the XV Ayuntamiento) and the Cabo San Lucas municipal delegation. The 2026 theme is "Historia y Tradición que nos Unen," roughly "history and tradition that unite us." The official tourism calendar of the Baja California Sur Secretariat of Tourism (SETUES) lists the same dates.

The 2026 program at a glance

Dates and names come from the Los Cabos city government and from Tribuna de México, which published the lineup on October 6, 2026. Neither has published the concert venue or show times yet, so check the city government's official social accounts before you head out.

Why Cabo San Lucas celebrates on October 18

Cabo San Lucas means "Cape Saint Luke," and October 18 is the feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist. According to the Los Cabos tourism office, the Spanish navigator Francisco de Bolaños sheltered in the bay during a storm in 1541 and named the cape for the saint whose day it was. The name shows up on charts from 1545 and 1562.

The Pericú, who lived here before the Spanish, called the place Yenekamú. A local civic association named Yenecamú sat on this year's organizing committee, along with the municipal chronicler.

The town itself is much younger than the name. The municipality records the first land title in 1823, in the name of Cipriano Ceseña, and a castaway who landed in 1842 counted two houses. For the longer story, see what Cabo San Lucas means, plus 25 facts and our history of Cabo San Lucas.

So the fiestas are a hometown party for a saint's day. Expect local families, riders from the ranches and very loud banda, with a few visitors mixed in.

The festival queen, October 11

The election and crowning of the festival queen is scheduled for Sunday, October 11 at 7:00 PM in the Plaza Pública León Cota Collins, according to Tribuna de México. That's five days before the concerts start, so if you land in Cabo early that week, it's your first look at the fiestas.

Five nights of concerts

For most people, the concerts are the main event. Municipal president Christian Agúndez Gómez announced this lineup:

• Friday, October 16: Ingrid Contreras and Los Perdidos de Sinaloa.
• Saturday, October 17: Banda MS.
• Sunday, October 18: Alfredito Olivas.
• Monday, October 19: Los Karkik's.
• Tuesday, October 20: Alemán, Neton Vega and Luis R.

The first four nights lean toward regional Mexican music, and Tuesday brings in rapper Alemán and more urban sounds. If you only know one name on the list, it's probably Banda MS, one of the best-known banda groups in Mexico.

What hasn't been published for 2026 is the venue or the start time. For reference, in 2025 the fairgrounds were set up beside the Plaza San Lucas shopping center, the one with the Walmart, according to The Cabo Sun, and Península Digital reported free entry to the concerts. Treat both as 2025 facts until the city confirms this year's plan.

Saturday with Banda MS will be the most crowded night. Get there early and pick a meeting spot with your group in case you get split up.

The Gran Cabalgata on Saint Luke's Day

On Sunday, October 18 at 3:00 PM, the Gran Cabalgata leaves Rancho Tres Hermanas, rides through the main streets of town and ends at the Plaza de Toros La Sanluqueña, the local bullring. The city also announced a blessing at the Parroquia de San Lucas Evangelista, a community dinner from 7:30 PM at La Sanluqueña and a raffle of a saddle among the riders. Civil Protection, police and veterinary staff will be on the route, with water stations for people and horses.

You don't need to ride to enjoy it. Watch from the sidewalk as it passes, and give yourself extra time for taxis that afternoon, since the parade uses the main streets.

Horse races, palenque and fireworks

At the August planning meeting, the city listed horse races in the program along with the parade, the queen election and the fishing tournament. No date or place for the races has been published yet.

No palenque (cockfight arena with shows) and no fireworks have been announced for 2026. If they appear in the full program, we'll update this page. Until then, check the organizer's site.

Surf at Playa El Tule: San Lucas Fest

On Saturday the 17th and Sunday the 18th there's a surf contest at Playa El Tule, with longboard, shortboard and bodyboard divisions. It's organized by Club de Surf Monumentos and Tatéi Haramara with the city government as part of the fiestas, and it's free, according to the Gringo Gazette events calendar. Hours aren't listed.

It's a good weekend morning if someone in your group surfs, or if you just want to watch Pacific waves before the evening plans.

The Copa Presidente, after the fiestas

On October 31 and November 1, the city's Copa Presidente sportfishing tournament wraps up the festival season. It's one to watch from the docks at weigh-in time. We don't run trips for the tournament; our only fishing yacht, the McKinna 70, does private sport-fishing charters.

A simple fiesta day: sunset on the water, the fair at night

In mid-October the sun sets around 5:54 PM in Cabo, according to our trip guide. That makes an easy plan for any night of the fiestas:

1. Board at Marina Cabo San Lucas at 4:00 PM for a 2-hour sunset cruise.
2. Pass the Arch and watch the sun drop on the Pacific side.
3. Be back at the dock around 6:00 PM, eat downtown, then take a taxi to the concert.

For a couple or a small family, the Chaparral 28 takes up to 10 guests and costs USD 519 (MXN 9,799) for 2 hours. For a bigger group, the Pontoon 38 takes up to 18 for USD 869 (MXN 16,599) for 2 hours. Prices are per boat, tax included, tip not included.

Yachts sail until 8 PM and can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM, so you can also go out later and see the town lights from the water before the show.

No alcohol is sold on board; guests 18 and over can bring their own. Mid-October can still bring a harbor closure if a storm threatens. If the Port Captain closes the port, you get a new date or a full refund.

To hold a date, open the planner with the day, the time and the number of guests. We reply in writing within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Yachts in this guide

Chaparral 28Sport boat · up to 10 guestsfrom $519 / 2 hPontoon 38Double-deck party pontoon · up to 18 guestsfrom $869 / 2 h

Questions people ask

When are the Fiestas de Cabo San Lucas 2026?

Friday, October 16 to Tuesday, October 20, 2026, built around Saint Luke's Day on October 18. The official theme this year is Historia y Tradición que nos Unen (history and tradition that unite us).

Who is playing at the Cabo San Lucas fiestas in 2026?

The lineup announced by the Los Cabos city government is Ingrid Contreras and Los Perdidos de Sinaloa on the 16th, Banda MS on the 17th, Alfredito Olivas on the 18th, Los Karkik's on the 19th, and Alemán, Neton Vega and Luis R on the 20th.

Why does Cabo San Lucas celebrate on October 18?

It is the feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, the town's namesake. According to the Los Cabos tourism office, the navigator Francisco de Bolaños named the cape for the saint on his feast day in 1541.

Are the Cabo San Lucas fiestas free?

In 2025 the concerts were free to enter, according to local press. For 2026 the city has not published prices or show times yet, so check its official social accounts before you go.

What time is the Cabo San Lucas horse parade?

The Gran Cabalgata leaves Rancho Tres Hermanas at 3:00 PM on Sunday, October 18, 2026, rides through the main streets and ends at the La Sanluqueña bullring.

Plan your day on the water

Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Check availabilitySee the fleet