San José del Cabo’s annual Traditional Festival kicks off Tuesday, March 18, and runs through Saturday, March 22, with municipal authorities expecting 70,000 to 80,000 visitors per day across five days of concerts, carnival rides, food vendors, and cultural events centered on the town’s Historic Center and Plaza Antonio Mijares.
The festival honors St. Joseph, the patron saint of San José del Cabo, a tradition tied to the Jesuit mission established in the town in 1730. Last year’s edition drew roughly 270,000 total attendees. This year’s projected daily turnout would put the five-day total well above 350,000 if crowds hit the high end of estimates.
Pre-festival events began over the weekend. A Sashimi Fest and sport fishing tournament launched March 14 and 15, drawing early crowds to the area. The main festival grounds include designated zones for live concerts, food and craft vendors, horseback riding, and charreada, the traditional Mexican rodeo. Authorities redesigned the venue layout this year to improve crowd flow, with separate entrances, security perimeters, and posted evacuation routes.
For anyone staying in Los Cabos this week, the Historic Center of San José del Cabo will be the epicenter of activity and congestion. Plaza Antonio Mijares, the main square anchored by the town’s 18th-century mission church, serves as the festival’s hub. Traffic management plans are in place, but drivers should expect road closures and significant delays on Boulevard Antonio Mijares and surrounding streets, particularly in the evenings when concert crowds peak.
Hotels in San José del Cabo and the Tourist Corridor between San José and Cabo San Lucas tend to fill during festival week. Visitors arriving without reservations may find limited availability, especially at mid-range properties in the downtown area. Restaurants along the Art District on Álvaro Obregón street will also be busier than usual.
Municipal police and civil protection officers will maintain a visible presence throughout the five days. Authorities have asked attendees to follow posted crowd-control signage and use designated entry and exit points at all venue areas.