Some things get better with age. Some people do, too. 
That’s certainly the case with Sammy Hagar. “The Red Rocker” has been going strong for over 70 years now, and will celebrate year 71 on the planet with a series of birthday bashes at Cabo Wabo Cantina on Oct. 9, 11 and 13.
The “birthday bashes” are a perennial highlight of the autumn event calendar. Hagar has been hosting them at Cabo Wabo since the year benchmark Cabo San Lucas nightspot opened, and over the past few decades there have been guest appearances and cameos from a virtual who’s who of rock n’ roll.
But getting tickets has never been easy. Random drawings for ticket eligibility are par for the course, with luckless “Redheads” camping out in front of Cabo Wabo when select first come, first serve dinner show tickets are released in early October.
Little wonder that the competition is fierce. Hagar is rock n’ roll royalty, after all, and has been a star since he first joined Montrose in 1973. He eventually went solo, charting hits like There’s Only One Way to Rock and I Can’t Drive 55 before cycling through a series of supergroups, from Van Halen to Chickenfoot.
Hagar is also Los Cabos royalty, the celebrity figure most associated with life at Land’s End.
That wasn’t always true, however. Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards was the first rock star to put Cabo San Lucas on the map, garnering publicity for the area when he married supermodel Patti Hansen at Hotel Finisterra in 1983. Bandmate Mick Jagger, even more famous than Richards, was best man.
That property, since rebranded as Sandos Finisterra, has memorialized the legendary nuptials by preserving the palapa beneath which the couple were married, and opening an onsite nightclub and Brit themed lounge called The Stones Club.
Hagar first heard of Los Cabos when he was reading about Richards’ marriage in a music magazine, and he began making plans for his own club soon after his initial visit. He opened Cabo Wabo Cantina with his then Van Halen bandmates in 1990, famously premiering the new Land’s End bar and restaurant with a massive promotional assist from MTV. The Van Halen partnership eventually dissolved – both musically and in Cabo Wabo – even as Hagar steered the venture toward enormous success.
In 1996, Cabo Wabo spun off its own house brand of tequila, likewise known as Cabo Wabo. A scant 11 years later, Hagar was able to sell 80% of his stake in the spirit to the Campari Group, cashing out with a cool $80 million.
The cantina has also proved popular, so much so that additional locations have been opened in Las Vegas, Hollywood and Lake Tahoe. The upshot of this continued success is that Hagar is now as much a business magnate as famous musician, recently adding rum and branded beach bars to his ever growing portfolio.
But Cabo Wabo Cantina is the place that started it all, and it’s where Hagar has celebrated his birthday for 27 of the past 28 years (Hurricane Odile in 2014 resulted in the shows being moved to Las Vegas).
Luckily for seasonal visitors, it’s not too late to sign up for the ticket drawing. Registration for the random drawing is currently underway, with the deadline coming this Friday, June 15, at 1 p.m. EST. To enter, go to https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf1hAKjGfat7OJCjff2RzzetGLPCCuhZMxTDE3FCrACMjv1Ag/viewform.
Winners will be selected randomly and informed via email on Monday, June 18th. Those chosen will be emailed ticket links to complete the purchase. Don’t abandon hope, however, if you’re not among the lucky few. As is customary, a limited number of first come, first serve dinner show tickets will be made available in October.
This year’s ticket price? $71 dollars, of course.
For more information about events, activities and villa rentals in Los Cabos, call us TOLL FREE at 1-888-655-4548, visit www.LosCabosVillas.com, or email us at Info@LosCabosVillas.com .
Photo courtesy of Cabo Wabo Cantina.
Upcoming Event Calendar
June
Rancho Pescadero Yoga, Surf & Nutrition Retreat – May 30 – June 2
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – June 7, 14, 21, 28
Pelagic Triple Crown: 5th Annual Cabo Summer Slam – June 7 – 9
Los Cabos Open of Surf – June 11 – 17
Fiesta de la Musica – June 23
Stars and Stripes Golf & Fishing Tournament – June 28 – July 1
King of the Beach Volleyball Tournament at SUR Beach House – June 30
July
Stars and Stripes Golf & Fishing Tournament – June 28 – July 1
East Cape Dorado Shootout Fishing Tournament – Jul. 21
Los Cabos Open of Tennis – July 30 – Aug. 4
Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Fishing Tournament – Jul. 31 – Aug. 4
August
Los Cabos Open of Tennis – July 30 – Aug. 4
Bisbee’s East Cape Offshore Fishing Tournament – Jul. 31 – Aug. 4
East Cape Gold Cup Wahoo Jackpot Fishing Tournament – Aug. 25
September
Día de la Independencia (Independence Day) – Sep. 16
October
Sammy Hagar Birthday Bashes at Cabo Wabo Cantina – Oct. 9, 11, 13
Los Cabos Billfish Tournament – Oct. 14 – 18
Bisbee’s Los Cabos Offshore Fishing Tournament – Oct. 18 – 21
Bisbee’s Black & Blue Fishing Tournament – Oct. 23 – 27
25th Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers Rally – Oct. 28 – Nov. 10
Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) – Oct. 31 – Nov. 2
November
Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) – Oct. 31 – Nov. 2
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Life Luxe Jazz Experience at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica – Nov. 1 – 4
IRONMAN 70.3 Latin American Tri Club Championship – Nov. 4
Adidas Golf Invitational at Cabo del Sol – Nov. 6 – 11
WON Tuna Jackpot – Nov. 7 – 10
SCORE Baja 1000 – Nov. 14 – 18
Día de la Revolución (Revolution Day) – Nov. 20
Día de Acción de Gracias (Thanksgiving) – Nov. 22
December
Art Walk in San Jose del Cabo – Dec. 6, 13, 20, 27
Virgin of Guadalupe Feast Day – Dec. 12
Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) – Dec. 24
Navidad (Christmas) – Dec. 25
Nochevieja (New Year’s Eve) – Dec. 31
