Cabo events in December 2026: the calendar, date by date

December 2026 in Los Cabos has three confirmed events: the Mar a Mar Trail, a 65-mile (105 km) race from Los Barriles to Todos Santos (December 3 to 6), the Sabor a Cabo food festival (Saturday, December 5, in Cabo San Lucas) and the Los Cabos International Film and Creativity Festival (December 9 to 13). The Virgin of Guadalupe processions, the municipal tree lighting and New Year's Eve at Médano Beach happen every year, but none of them has a 2026 date or program yet.

The Baja California Sur tourism office (SETUE) hasn't released its December tourism calendar; it usually comes out late the month before. This is what SETUE and the organizers had announced as of October 8, 2026.

December 2026 events at a glance

And the yearly events that haven't been announced:

Sabor a Cabo (Saturday, December 5)

Sabor a Cabo reaches its 18th edition in 2026, under the theme "Una Verbena Sibarita" (roughly, a gourmet street fair). It's on Saturday, December 5, from 5 PM at EDEA Timeless Venue in Cabo San Lucas. Up to 45 restaurants take part, along with wine and mixology bars, and La Sonora Santanera, the classic cumbia band, closes the night.

The proceeds go to the Cabo San Lucas fire department (Bomberos) and the Mexican Red Cross. According to the organizer, general admission is MXN 3,250 and VIP with a table is MXN 5,600. We found those prices in only one source, so check them before you buy.

If you search for the event you'll find old February listings. The 16th edition was in February 2025; the 2026 edition is on December 5. We cover how to plan that day in our Sabor a Cabo 2026 guide.

Los Cabos International Film and Creativity Festival (December 9 to 13)

The film festival turns 14 this year. It runs Wednesday, December 9, to Sunday, December 13, at several venues around Los Cabos, under the tag #BeyondTheScreen. As of October 8 the venues, program and tickets hadn't been published. The only thing open is a pre-registration at festivaldecineloscabos.mx.

If you want to go, sign up there and wait for the program. Venues from past years tell you nothing about this one, so don't pick a hotel around a particular screening room until the festival announces where it will be.

Mar a Mar Trail (December 3 to 6)

The Mar a Mar Trail crosses the peninsula from the Sea of Cortez to the Pacific, through the Sierra de la Laguna mountains. It covers 105 km (about 65 miles) in 3 stages, by way of Los Barriles, San Dionisio, La Rueda and Todos Santos. Group 1 runs December 3 to 5 and group 2 runs December 4 to 6.

It's for registered runners only, with entry fees from MXN 12,760 to MXN 15,950. If you're not running, the finish in Todos Santos is the part you can watch. The town is about 48 miles (77 km) from Cabo San Lucas, and our guide to Todos Santos covers the rest of the day.

The weekend of December 5 and 6: La Paz and Playa Migriño

In La Paz, ExpoMotor BCS runs December 5 and 6. The venue isn't confirmed (Galerías La Paz has been mentioned). Entry was free in 2025, but no 2026 price has been published. Check with the organizer before you go.

On Sunday, December 6, Playa Migriño on the Pacific side hosts the 5th "La Orilla de La Baja" shore fishing tournament. Only the SETUE calendar lists it. It's fished from the beach, so this one is for watching from the sand.

Not announced yet: Guadalupe, the tree lighting and New Year's Eve

These three happen every December, but as of October 8, 2026 none has a time, route or program. Here is what happened last time, as a reference.

Virgin of Guadalupe (December 11 and 12)

In Cabo San Lucas the big procession is usually on the afternoon of December 11. It leaves from downtown and ends at the neighborhood church near the Hospital de Especialidades. Hotel and business staff walk in it, anyone can join, and it's free.

San José del Cabo, Santiago, Miraflores, La Paz and Todos Santos hold processions too. The route above is from past years, so ask at your hotel the week before.

The church in San José has its own story; the history of the mission tells it.

Municipal tree lighting

In 2025 the municipal tree was lit on December 12 in five places at once: San José del Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, Miraflores, Santiago and La Ribera. Shows started at 5:30 PM, the lights went on around 8 PM and there was a holiday bazaar. It was free. There's no 2026 date yet.

New Year's Eve at Médano Beach

To ring in 2026, Médano Beach replaced fireworks with "Luz del Vigía", a show of 25 lasers over Cerro del Vigía. There were 5 shows between 8:00 PM and 11:50 PM, visible from the beach, the hotels and boats in the bay. Nothing has been announced for December 31, 2026.

If you want to spend that evening on the water, our guide to Cabo in December has the boat hours for New Year's Eve.

Two more, with a single source

The Gringo Gazette lists the Baja Surf Stomp on December 3 to 6 on the La Paz malecón and a Manuel Medrano concert on December 5 at Arena La Paz. We found no ticket seller and no second source, so check with the organizer before you plan around either one.

Whales in December

The first humpback whales reach Los Cabos in November, so by December they're around. The official 2026 to 2027 season hasn't been published in the DOF, Mexico's federal register, yet; last season ran December 15, 2025 to April 30, 2026.

Nobody can promise you a whale on a given day. How the season works and which charter fits it is in our whale watching in Cabo guide.

Christmas and December weather

Christmas Day falls on a Friday in 2026, so there's a long weekend from December 25 to 27. No public Christmas events have been announced; Christmas dinners happen at hotels and restaurants. From Christmas to New Year is the busiest stretch of the year on the water.

December is mild: highs around 79°F (26°C), lows around 69°F (21°C), and the sea cools from about 80°F (27°C) at the start of the month to about 76°F (24°C) at the end. Sunsets are early, from 5:34 PM on December 1 to 5:45 PM on December 31. Our trip guide has day-by-day weather.

Coming in late November? The November events calendar covers what happens before.

A sunset on the water between events

Almost everything in December happens at night: the Sabor a Cabo dinner, the film screenings, the processions and the tree lighting. Afternoons stay free, and with the sun down before 6 PM, a 2-hour sunset cruise leaving around 4 PM gets you back to the dock in time for dinner or a movie.

For two, the Bayliner 30 is USD 549 / MXN 10,499 for 2 hours. For a group of up to 12, the Sea Ray 40 is USD 879 / MXN 16,799 and comes with towels. Prices are per boat, tax included, tip not included. No alcohol is sold on board; guests 18 and over can bring their own.

The Sabor a Cabo weekend, festival week and the days between Christmas and New Year fill up first. If your flights are booked, hold a yacht in the planner and pick a departure time that gets you to your event.

December also brings the winter-only ships. The Norwegian Star and Koningsdam call three times each, the Zaandam twice and the Ovation of the Seas once, with an overnight. Their pages show the hours ashore and the plan that fits them.

Yachts in this guide

Bayliner 30Cabin cruiser · up to 6 guestsfrom $549 / 2 hSea Ray 40Flybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $879 / 2 h

Questions people ask

What events are in Cabo in December 2026?

The confirmed ones are the Mar a Mar Trail (December 3 to 6), Sabor a Cabo (Saturday, December 5, at EDEA Timeless Venue in Cabo San Lucas) and the Los Cabos International Film and Creativity Festival (December 9 to 13). The Virgin of Guadalupe processions, the municipal tree lighting and New Year's Eve at Médano Beach haven't been announced for 2026 yet.

When is Sabor a Cabo 2026?

Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 5 PM at EDEA Timeless Venue in Cabo San Lucas. It's the 18th edition, and the money raised goes to the Cabo San Lucas fire department and the Mexican Red Cross.

When is the Los Cabos Film Festival 2026?

December 9 to 13, 2026, at several venues in Los Cabos. It's the 14th edition. Venues, the program and tickets haven't been published; for now there's only a pre-registration at festivaldecineloscabos.mx.

Can you see whales in Cabo in December?

Yes. The first humpback whales arrive in November. The official 2026 to 2027 season hasn't been published in the DOF, Mexico's federal register, yet; last season ran December 15, 2025 to April 30, 2026.

Are there fireworks in Cabo on New Year's Eve?

To ring in 2026, Médano Beach swapped fireworks for a laser show over Cerro del Vigía, with five shows from 8:00 PM to 11:50 PM. Nothing has been announced for December 31, 2026 yet.

Plan your day on the water

Pick a yacht, the hours and the food in the planner. A written reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Check availabilitySee the fleet