Cabo events in October 2026: what's on in Los Cabos, week by week, and what's worth the drive

Cabo's October 2026 calendar from the Baja California Sur tourism office (SETUES) lists 18 events in Los Cabos, and most of the action lands between October 12 and 24. That stretch covers Bisbee's marlin week, the Fiestas de Cabo San Lucas from October 16 to 20, and the Bisbee's Black and Blue from October 19 to 24. Everything from October 2 to 8 is already over or under way.

Below is the full list with dates and venues, a short note on each event, and a section on what's happening within a two-hour drive: two big concerts in La Paz, a documentary film festival in Todos Santos and a paella festival in El Triunfo.

October 2026 events in Cabo at a glance

"Not announced" means the event is on the official state calendar but the organizer hasn't posted a venue or start time. Check the organizer's site before you go.

Already over: October 2 to 8

The month opened with fishing and surfing. On Friday, October 2, the 2nd Copa Colegio de Arquitectos sent boats out at 6:00 AM after dorado. The Los Cabos chapter of the state architects' association ran it, and it was open to the public.

From October 2 to 4, the 3rd Reina Calafia festival took over La Fortuna beach on the East Cape. It's the only surf contest in Mexico just for women and girls, with shortboard, longboard, softboard and adaptive surfing divisions, and spectators got in free.

Sunday, October 4, was busy. The 2nd Festival de la Mascarita Peninsular ran from 7 AM to 1 PM at the Estero El Surgidero in La Ribera, named for the mascarita peninsular, a small bird of the peninsula, with guided bird walks and local food. The state calendar also listed the Cabo Coffee Fest (October 3 and 4) and the 5th Cerebral Palsy Day charity walk and run that weekend; neither had a published venue we could find.

If you land today, October 8, two events are still going. The Los Cabos Billfish Tournament runs October 7 to 11, with fishing on October 8 to 10. The 2nd Los Cabos Bird Festival runs October 8 to 10 at the Krystal Grand Los Cabos in San José del Cabo, with talks by bird researchers and hands-on workshops.

Bisbee's week and the other fishing tournaments

October is marlin month in Cabo, and you'll feel it at the marina. Bisbee's Los Cabos Offshore runs October 12 to 17. The Bisbee's Black and Blue, the famous one, runs October 19 to 24, with fishing Wednesday through Friday, October 21 to 23. In between, on Sunday, October 18, the state calendar lists the Bisbee's Baja Cantina Kids tournament; no time or meeting point has been posted, so check the organizer's site.

The part anyone can watch for free is the weigh-in. During the Black and Blue, fish come to the scale from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM each fishing day in front of Puerto Paraíso mall, right on the boardwalk at Marina Cabo San Lucas. The schedule, the awards night and the prize money are in our Bisbee's Black and Blue 2026 guide.

One more tournament closes the month. The Copa Presidente Marlini is part of the town fiestas: registration is October 31 and the single fishing day is Sunday, November 1, with a guaranteed purse of MXN 1,000,000 for dorado, wahoo and tuna, according to the organizer.

Our only fishing yacht is the McKinna 70, on its private sport-fishing charter, so the tournaments are for watching from the boardwalk.

Fiestas de Cabo San Lucas and San Lucas Fest

The Fiestas Tradicionales de Cabo San Lucas run Friday, October 16, through Tuesday, October 20, for the feast of Saint Luke, the town's namesake, on October 18. The lineup the city announced: Ingrid Contreras and Los Perdidos de Sinaloa on the 16th, Banda MS on the 17th, Alfredito Olivas on the 18th, Los Karkik's on the 19th, and Alemán, Neton Vega and Luis R on the 20th. The Gran Cabalgata, a horseback parade, leaves Rancho Las Tres Hermanas on Sunday the 18th at 3:00 PM.

The concert venue and start times haven't been published yet. We keep the full lineup and what to expect in Fiestas de Cabo San Lucas 2026.

That same weekend, October 17 and 18, San Lucas Fest brings surfers to El Tule beach on the Corridor. Club de Surf Monumentos organizes it with the city as part of the fiestas, with longboard, shortboard and bodyboard divisions.

Races on sand and dirt: aquathlon, surf fishing and gravel

On Sunday, October 18, the 2nd Acuatlón Reto El Médano runs at Medano Beach: a 600-meter swim, a 5 km run and another 600-meter swim. Solo racers must be 12 or older and relay racers 18 or older, with room for 120 solo entries and 30 relay teams. Start time and entry fee are in the organizer's registration page.

Sunday, October 25, has two more listings: the Torneo de Orilla Desafía Baja Sur, a fishing contest from the beach, and Gravel Baja, a gravel bike event. We couldn't find a published venue or time for either, so check the organizer's site.

Birds, beaches and a trade show

Los Cabos EXPOCON takes over the Krystal Grand in San José del Cabo from October 20 to 22, open 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM each day. It's a trade show for construction, architecture and maintenance suppliers, useful if you own or are building a place in Los Cabos and skippable if you're here on vacation.

From October 28 to 30, the 6th Encuentro de Playas meets at Secrets Los Cabos in San José del Cabo. It's three days of talks, panels and field visits on beach management, aimed at people who work in the field.

Worth the drive: La Paz, Todos Santos and El Triunfo

La Paz is about 100 miles (160 km) from Cabo San Lucas, 2 to 2.5 hours each way on Highway 19. Todos Santos is 48 miles (77 km), about an hour.

On Saturday, October 17, Yuridia brings her "Las Cartas Sobre la Mesa Tour 2026" to Estadio Arturo C. Nahl in La Paz, with tickets through Superboletos. The organizer hasn't confirmed a start time.

The following Saturday, October 24, Alejandro Sanz plays the same stadium on his "¿Y ahora qué?" tour, his first show in La Paz. Tickets run from MXN 850 for general admission standing to MXN 4,500 for the Fan zone, plus fees, through Eticket and the Boletos La Paz box office. No official start time yet either. If you're going, plan on spending the night; a round trip after a late show is a long drive.

From October 29 to 31, Todos Santos hosts its 1st International Documentary Film Showcase (Muestra Internacional de Cine Documental), with six documentaries and four award-winning shorts from DOCSMX. Screenings are at the Teatro General Manuel Márquez de León, the town plaza and the Las Tinajas vineyard. Our Todos Santos day trip guide covers the drive and the rest of the day.

On Saturday, October 31, the old mining town of El Triunfo, on the highway to La Paz, holds its 1st Festival de Paellas y Vinos. It's on the official calendar, but we couldn't find a time or exact location, so check the organizer's site.

Fitting a boat day into a busy month

With the marina full from October 12 to 24, book your yacht early and think about timing. Sunset is at 5:54 PM in mid-October and 5:42 PM on October 31, so a 2-hour charter leaving around 4:30 PM reaches the Arch in golden light and has you back on the dock in time for the fiestas or a late dinner. Yachts from the marina sail until 8 PM and can stay anchored in the bay until 10 PM.

For a sense of cost, the Sea Ray 40 takes up to 12 guests for USD 879 (MXN 16,799) for 2 hours, per boat, tax included, tip not included. October weather and water temperatures are in our trip guide. To see what's open on your date, enter your group size in the planner; we reply within 2 hours, 8 AM to 8 PM Cabo time.

Cruise ships are back this month too. The Disney Magic and Disney Wonder call twice each, Virgin's Brilliant Lady twice and the Zaandam once, so if you're arriving by sea, those pages show the hours ashore on your date.

Yachts in this guide

Sea Ray 40Flybridge yacht · up to 12 guestsfrom $879 / 2 h

Questions people ask

What events are happening in Cabo in October 2026?

The big ones are Bisbee's Black and Blue (October 19 to 24), the Fiestas Tradicionales de Cabo San Lucas (October 16 to 20), the San Lucas Fest surf contest (October 17 and 18) and Los Cabos EXPOCON (October 20 to 22). The month wraps up with the Copa Presidente Marlini fishing tournament on October 31 and November 1.

When is Bisbee's Black and Blue 2026?

October 19 to 24, 2026, in Cabo San Lucas, with fishing days October 21 to 23. Marlin are weighed from 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM each fishing day at the scale by Puerto Paraíso mall, and anyone can watch for free.

When are the Fiestas de Cabo San Lucas in 2026?

Friday, October 16 through Tuesday, October 20, built around the feast of Saint Luke on October 18. There's a concert every night, and the Gran Cabalgata horseback parade sets off Sunday, October 18, at 3:00 PM.

Is October a good month to visit Cabo for events?

Yes, if you like a busy town. The second half of October packs two Bisbee's tournaments, the town fiestas and a surf contest into about two weeks, so book hotels and boats early.

Can I charter a yacht during the fishing tournaments?

Yes. Most of our yachts are pleasure boats with no fishing permits, so they run the usual Arch and sunset routes; the McKinna 70 also has a sport-fishing charter. The marina is packed during Bisbee's week, though, so book ahead.

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.

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