February is the month for romance, as countries around the world celebrate courtship and love on St. Valentine’s Day 
(known in Mexico as El Dia de San Valentin, or, more commonly, El Dia del Amor y la Amistad). In Los Cabos, the competition to offer the most romantic Valentine’s Day activities and amenities often translates to special accommodations packages (for both resorts and villa rentals), as well as special multi-course meals and live entertainment at the area’s best restaurants.
Visitors to cape cities Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo this month will also discover abundant opportunities to immerse themselves in local art and culture, from Art Walk and Jazz Weekend in San Jose del Cabo to the annual Art Festival and Open Studios Tour in Todos Santos.
Carnaval, too, takes place in February. The yearly festival, which ends with “Fat Tuesday,” precedes the 4o days of Lent before Easter on the Catholic calendar. La Paz, capital city of Baja California Sur, is famed for the parades and live musical performances on its seaside malecón during this six-day bacchanal.
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo (Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22)
The historic Distrito del Arte in San Jose del Cabo takes center stage each Thursday evening during high tourist season – November through June – when residents and visitors alike are invited to stroll its cobblestone streets and peruse the many eclectic fine arts galleries. Art Walk hours are 5 to 9 p.m, when the neighborhood comes alive with wine, cheese and guided tours, as well as colorful street artists and strolling mariachis. A chance to check out San Jose’s recent downtown makeover is another reason to make the Thursday night pilgrimage.
Carnaval La Paz (Feb. 8 – 13)
There are two cities that host notable Carnaval celebrations on the Baja California peninsula: Ensenada and La Paz. Carnaval, for the uninitiated, is the Catholic pre-Lenten celebration that captivates Rio de Janeiro and New Orleans each year, although in the latter city it is better known as Mardi Gras. In La Paz, the uninhibited six-day farewell to debauchery is centered on the capital city’s malecón, and includes voluminous food and drink, colorful parades and costumes, plenty of live music from high-profile performers, and the coronation of a festival king and queen. This year’s theme is Tierra de Encanto y Fantasía (Land of Charm and Fantasy).
Todos Santos Open Artists’ Studio Tour (Feb. 10 – 11)
Ever since painter Charles Stewart and his wife Mary Lou moved to Todos Santos in 1985, the town has been famed for its thriving artists’ colony. The best introduction to the region’s abundance of talented artists is the yearly Open Studios Tour, the 9th edition of which is scheduled for Feb. 10 – 11, 2018. Approximately 40 local artists will participate this year, including painters, sculptors, photographers, muralists, plein air painters, encaustic artists, jewelers, printmakers, collage artists, potters, and wood turners. The Palapa Learning Center will offer a special stop on the tour, and will showcase a sampling of 20 selected tour artists’ work for sale. Additionally, the Palapa Society’s child artists will also be working in their “studio” with work on display.
Valentine’s Day at Sunset da Mona Lisa (Feb. 14)
The jaw-dropping views of the 30-million-year-old granitic monuments at Land’s End in Cabo San Lucas, plus the Taittinger Champagne Terrace and superb seafood and Italian fare, are among the many reasons this place is a mecca for visiting couples, and wedding proposals are an almost daily occurrence. There are two seatings for the special amor focused Valentine’s Day dinner this year, which includes a welcoming cocktail, a six-course meal, live music, and of course the unforgettable sight of the sun exploding in a burst of color over the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.
San Jose del Cabo Jazz Weekend (Feb. 16 – 17)
2018 marks the 6th edition of San José del Cabo Jazz Weekend, a festival dedicated to the freewheeling American musical style held yearly at the popular Plaza del Pescador, an outdoor mall across from the city’s resort-lined Playa Hotelera. Plaza del Pescador has only been around for a few years, but has quickly established a reputation for itself as a music venue, thanks to tenants such as Jazz Tapas Café and Rock&Brews, the restaurant chain started by KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Admission is free to the two-day music fest, which takes place from 5 to 11 p.m. on Feb. 16 – 17.
For more information about events, activities and villa rentals in Los Cabos, call us TOLL FREE at 1-888-655-4548, or visit www.LosCabosVillas.com, or email us at Info@LosCabosVillas.com .
Photo courtesy of Sunset da Mona Lisa.
Upcoming Event Calendar
February
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22
Art Festival in Todos Santos – Feb. 1 – 5
Traditional Fiestas in San Blas – Feb. 2 – 4
Todos Santos Open Artists’ Studio Tour – Feb. 10 – 11
Los Cabos Half Marathon – Feb. 11
Carnaval La Paz – Feb. 8 – 13
Valentine’s Day – Feb. 14
San Jose del Cabo Jazz Weekend – Feb. 16 – 17
Baja Hog Motorcycle Rally – Feb. 21 – 25
Vidanta Los Cabos Grand Opening Featuring Calvin Harris, Steve Aoki and Zedd – Feb. 23 – 25
March
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Todos Santos Film Festival – March 7 – 11
Baja Shakespeare Festival – March 9 – 11, 14 – 17
El Triunfo Festival Artesanal – March 11
East Cape Arts Festival – March 18
Traditional Fiestas in San Jose del Cabo – March 14 – 19
Semana Santa (Holy Week) – March 25 – 31
Rancho Pescadero Yoga, Surf & Nutrition Retreat – March 28 – April 1
April
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – April 5, 12, 19, 26
Paws n’ Claws Golf Tournament and Dinner – April 8
NORRA Mexican 1000 – April 20 – 26
May
483rd La Paz Foundation Festival – May 3 – 5
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Cinco de Mayo – May 5
El Día de la Madre (Mother’s Day) – May 10
Gastrovino Food & Wine Festival – May 19 – 20
Rancho Pescadero Yoga, Surf & Nutrition Retreat – May 30 – June 2
June
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – June 7, 14, 21, 28
Los Cabos Open of Surf – June 11 – 17
Fiesta de la Musica – June 21
Stars and Stripes Golf & Fishing Tournament – June 28 – July 1
July – August
East Cape Dorado Shootout Fishing Tournament – Jul. 21
Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Fishing Tournament – Jul. 31 – Aug. 4
September
El Dia de la Independencia (Independence Day) – Sep. 16
October
Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Fishing Tournament – Oct. 18 – 21
Bisbee’s Black & Blue Fishing Tournament – Oct. 23 – 27
November
SCORE Baja 1000 – Nov. 14 – 18
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