La Paz will celebrate the 491st anniversary of its founding this weekend with a free cultural program along the city’s malecón waterfront. The Ayuntamiento de La Paz, the municipal government, announced the event will feature artistic and family-oriented activities across the weekend of May 3 and 4, 2026. The celebration marks one of the oldest continuously observed civic traditions on the Baja California peninsula.
Hernán Cortés Landed in La Paz Bay on May 3, 1535
The founding date traces to May 3, 1535, when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés sailed across the Sea of Cortez from the mainland and established a short-lived colony he named Santa Cruz. Cortés had financed three earlier expeditions to reach the peninsula, all of which failed. His 1535 landing brought roughly 300 colonists and soldiers to the bay, but drought, food shortages, and conflict with the indigenous Guaycura people forced the settlement’s abandonment within a year.
The name “La Paz,” meaning “The Peace,” came later. Sebastián Vizcaíno, a Spanish explorer and merchant, arrived in 1596 and renamed the bay after the peaceful reception he received from local indigenous groups. Yet permanent European settlement did not take hold until Jesuit missionaries established a mission nearby in the early 1700s. La Paz became the capital of Baja California Sur in 1830 and has held that role ever since, growing from a pearl-diving outpost into a state capital of roughly 300,000 residents.
The city has commemorated its founding on or around May 3 for decades. The date coincides with the Catholic feast day of the Holy Cross, or Día de la Santa Cruz, which Cortés observed upon landing. That overlap gives the anniversary a dual cultural and religious resonance in local tradition. Annual celebrations typically include live music, dance performances, civic ceremonies, and food vendors spread along the 5-kilometer malecón, the palm-lined seaside promenade that serves as the city’s main public gathering space.
This Year’s Program Features Arts and Cultural Activities on the Malecón
The municipal government has organized this year’s program with a focus on families and all age groups. While the source announcement did not list specific performers or a detailed schedule, La Paz anniversary events in prior years have included performances by local banda and norteño groups, folkloric dance troupes, artisan markets, and children’s activities. The malecón’s open-air amphitheater near the Dove of Peace sculpture has traditionally served as the main stage.
The event is free and open to the public. La Paz’s malecón runs along Álvaro Obregón avenue from the Marina de La Paz south toward the Fidepaz marina, and most anniversary activities concentrate in the central stretch near the Kiosco del Malecón. Street parking fills quickly during large public events, so walking or taking a taxi from downtown is the more practical option. Temperatures in La Paz in early May average around 32°C (90°F) during the day and drop to about 20°C (68°F) after sunset, so evening hours tend to draw the largest crowds.
Vendors selling local food are a fixture at the celebration. Expect stands offering ceviche, tacos de pescado (fish tacos), empanadas de machaca (dried shredded beef pastries), and marquesitas (crispy rolled crepes filled with cheese or Nutella). Several malecón restaurants and bars also extend their outdoor seating during the festivities.
La Paz’s Foreign Resident Population Has Grown Alongside the Celebration
La Paz has seen steady growth in its English-speaking population over the past decade. The city’s lower cost of living compared to Los Cabos, its calmer pace, and its proximity to islands like Espíritu Santo have drawn retirees, remote workers, and seasonal residents. Many live in neighborhoods within walking distance of the malecón, including El Centro, Lomas del Sol, and the areas near Marina Palmira.
The founding anniversary is one of several major civic events on the La Paz calendar, alongside Carnaval in February and the Fiesta de la Pitahaya in September. Each brings road closures along Álvaro Obregón and increased foot traffic downtown. For this weekend, expect the malecón’s central blocks to be partially closed to vehicle traffic starting Saturday morning.
Activities are scheduled to run through Sunday, May 4. The municipal government has not yet published a full hour-by-hour program, but updates are expected on the Ayuntamiento de La Paz’s social media pages in the coming days. This story was first reported by Noticias La Paz.