The small fishing village of La Ribera, about 80 kilometers northeast of Cabo San Lucas on the East Cape, will host a two-day Semana Santa celebration on April 3 and 4. The program features a shore fishing tournament, gastronomic competitions, live music, and the crowning of the Reina de los Pescadores 2026. It is one of the few community-driven Holy Week festivals in the Los Cabos municipality that preserves older Baja California Sur traditions largely untouched by resort tourism.
La Ribera’s Roots as an East Cape Fishing Village
La Ribera sits along a stretch of coastline between the Sierra de la Laguna mountains and the Sea of Cortez, south of the Cabo Pulmo marine park and north of San José del Cabo. The community traces its identity to small-scale fishing, ranching, and agriculture. For decades before the tourism boom transformed Los Cabos, La Ribera and neighboring settlements like El Triunfo and Santiago formed the economic backbone of the East Cape.
The village has grown modestly over the past 15 years, attracting a small but steady population of expats, many of them drawn by affordable land, a slower pace, and proximity to some of the best sportfishing in the Sea of Cortez. Yet La Ribera remains far quieter than the tourist corridor, with no major hotel chains and limited commercial development. Its Semana Santa festival reflects that character: organized by the municipal delegation rather than a private promoter, and built around local participation.
The Reina de los Pescadores tradition, or “Queen of the Fishermen,” is a cultural staple in coastal Baja California Sur communities. The title honors the fishing heritage of the village, and the crowning ceremony, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, serves as the social centerpiece of the weekend. Similar queen-crowning events take place during patron saint festivals and fishing tournaments in towns along the Gulf coast, from Loreto to Mulegé, but they are increasingly rare in the more commercialized areas of Los Cabos proper.
Full Schedule Across Two Days Starting April 3
The festival opens Friday, April 3, with a free-entry soccer tournament at 10 a.m. and a volleyball tournament at 11 a.m. From 4 to 7 p.m., the Instituto de la Cultura y las Artes (ICA), the municipal arts and culture agency, will run contests in arts and crafts, sand sculpting, singing, and dancing. At 4 p.m. Friday, organizers will hold registration and a rules briefing for the shore fishing tournament.
Friday’s program closes with a public dance starting at 8 p.m. featuring the bands Estilo Rancho and Hijos de La Paz.
Saturday, April 4, begins early. The shore fishing tournament launches at 6 a.m. along La Ribera’s beach. Shore fishing tournaments in this area typically target species like sierra, pompano, and roosterfish, depending on seasonal runs. Participants should plan to arrive before dawn, as registration closes before the start.
At noon on Saturday, a gastronomic competition in escabeche (a vinegar-marinated fish preparation common in Baja Sur) begins, followed by a ceviche contest at 1 p.m. Both dishes are rooted in the village’s fishing culture, and the competitions typically draw local cooks rather than professional chefs.
The afternoon features two traditional games. A tug-of-war contest starts at 4 p.m., and the palo encebado begins at 5 p.m. The palo encebado, or greased pole, is a classic Mexican festival game where contestants attempt to climb a tall wooden pole coated in grease or soap to reach a prize at the top. The contest is common at rural fiestas across Mexico but has largely disappeared from urban celebrations.
The weekend closes with the Reina de los Pescadores coronation at 7 p.m. Saturday, followed by a second public dance with Banda Cherokee and Román de Los Reyes.
Getting to La Ribera From the Tourist Corridor
La Ribera is roughly a 90-minute drive from Cabo San Lucas and about 60 minutes from San José del Cabo. The most direct route follows the Carretera Transpeninsular (Highway 1) north to Las Cuevas, then east on a two-lane paved road through the East Cape. The road to La Ribera is fully paved and well-maintained, though cell service becomes spotty past the turnoff from Highway 1.
There is no public transit to La Ribera. Drivers should fill up in San José del Cabo, as gas stations on the East Cape road are limited. Parking at the festival site is informal and free. All events are free and open to the public.
The Los Cabos municipal government announced the full program on its official website. Events take place at and near La Ribera’s central beach area. The next major East Cape community event is typically the Cabo Pulmo anniversary celebration later in the spring.