San Miguel Arcángel Celebration

The San Miguel Arcángel Celebration is an annual nine-day event deeply rooted in tradition and faith, taking place in the populous El Pitillal district of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. From September 21 to September 29, the community gathers for religious observances, cultural activities, music, food, and community gatherings, also commemorating the 34th anniversary of the consecration of the local parish dedicated to San Miguel Arcángel.

The celebration centers around the church and its surrounding plaza, which is decorated with an elaborate carpet of colored sawdust and flower petals, transforming into a traditional fairground with food stalls, vendors, and carnival rides. Each day begins at 6:00 am with dawn prayers and Mass, followed by a community breakfast featuring traditional foods like hot chocolate, bread, tamales, and tacos. Throughout the day, residents participate in religious services, processions, and cultural events. Daily pilgrimages are organized by local families, businesses, and community groups, concluding with Mass and live musical performances in the main plaza from 7:00 pm.

The festivities reach their peak on September 29, the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel. This day includes early morning Las Mañanitas, dawn Mass and breakfast, traditional charro activities, and pilgrimages such as the Mega Cavalcade of Pitillal and the Charros and Charras Pilgrimage. Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, Archbishop of Mexico, presides over the Solemn Eucharist of the People at noon. The celebration concludes in the evening with a community Mass, the arrival of the GASMA Torch from San Miguel el Alto, Jalisco, and a traditional fireworks display and burning of the castillo in the town square, followed by music and dancing.