Although to-dos in Cabo San Lucas tend to get more press, cape sister San Jose del Cabo hosts its fair share of notable 
events: Jazz Weekend in February; the patron saint festival, or Fiesta Patronal, in March; the Fiesta de la Musica each June: and of course Sabor a Cabo (Taste of Cabo), a massive year-end food and wine festival that not only features top regional chefs and winemakers, but some of the world’s most popular live music acts.
The city’s signature event, however, remains its seasonal Art Walk. Every Thursday evening from 5 – 9 p.m. during the high tourist season (November through June), galleries in the historic, cobblestone studded Distrito del Arte invite visitors to sip wine and view the works of some the country’s finest artists, and to enjoy a thriving district street scene that includes wandering musicians and other performers, as well as up-and-coming painters displaying their creations at impromptu sidewalk studios.
The Distrito del Arte, or Art District, has its own association comprised of 14 major galleries, who showcase everything from contemporary painting, sculpture and jewelry to traditional Mexican folk art forms like Mata Ortiz pottery or Huichol Indian art.
The folk art is likely to be the most fascinating discovery for first-time visitors. Distinctive, hand-painted Mata Ortiz pottery, for instance, all originates from the small village of Mata Ortiz, located in Chihuahua near the ancient Mesoamerican city of Paquime, where traditional pottery has been practiced without benefit of a potter’s wheel for over a millennium.
The Huichol, who live in the Sierra Madre Mountains and still maintain their ancient traditional beliefs – including the ritualistic use of peyote – create remarkable paintings and pre-Columbian style animal figures (jaguars, deer, eagles) using colorful yarn and beads.
The art district is just off the town square in San Jose del Cabo, Plaza Mijares, and Art Walk spills over into the downtown area, with arts and crafts vendors setting up displays in front of historic attractions like City Hall, which boasts an historic clock tower, and interior murals that trace the history of Baja California and Mexico at large; El Jardin de los Cabeños Ilustres, the sculpture garden dedicated to regional heroes and heroines; and the old Catholic church, Parroquia San Jose, with its tile mosaic depicting the killing of Jesuit missionary Nicolas Tamaral in 1734 by the area’s original inhabitants.
The Distrito del Arte is also home to abundant drinking and dining options. The state’s first brewery, Baja Brewing Company, opened its first location in the heart of the art district in 2007, where they also serve delicious burgers. Neighboring La Lupita, meanwhile, is the go-to destination for spit-grilled tacos al pastor and shots of artisanally crafted, agave distilled mezcal.
The return of Art Walk typically coincides with Day of the Dead celebrations, offering yet another perspective on Mexican cultural traditions. For more information about San Jose del Cabo’s Art District and its seasonal Art Walk, visit 
www.artcabo.com.
Photo courtesy of www.artcabo.com.
