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Ensenada‘s calendar is built around three things: off-road racing, wine and the sea. The Baja 500 and Baja 1000 bring international crowds, the August wine harvest fills the Valle de Guadalupe, and the Newport to Ensenada yacht race has run every spring since 1948. Here are the Ensenada events worth planning a trip around, with dates.
Ensenada Events: Baja 500 and Baja 1000 Off-Road Races
The Baja 500 (early June) and Baja 1000 (mid-November) start and finish in Ensenada, sending trucks, buggies and motorcycles across the Baja peninsula. The Baja 1000 alternates course each year but traditionally launches from the Ensenada waterfront. Hotel rooms sell out months ahead, and road closures along the course are common on race day, so check the Ensenada travel tips before you drive down.
Ensenada Events: Fiestas de la Vendimia (Wine Harvest)
The Fiestas de la Vendimia runs through August in the Valle de Guadalupe, celebrating the grape harvest with tastings, winemaker dinners, concerts and grape-stomping across more than 100 wineries. Individual events are ticketed, roughly 800 to 2,500 MXN (US$45 to 140), and many sell out by July. Book valley accommodation early, and use the where to stay in Ensenada guide to find a base.
Ensenada Events: Carnival
Ensenada’s Carnival takes over Avenida López Mateos in February or early March, with dates shifting with Lent each year. It runs about six days with parades, live bands, food stalls and a crowning of the Carnival queen. The main parade usually falls on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday, and it is free to watch from the Ensenada neighborhoods of Zona Centro.
Ensenada Events: Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race
The Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race, run every year since 1948, sends up to 200 sailboats 125 nautical miles from Newport Beach, California to Ensenada in late April. The finish line is the Ensenada harbor, where crews fill the waterfront bars for the weekend. Spectators can watch arrivals from the malecón, and April’s mild highs near 21°C (70°F) are a good time to visit per the Ensenada weather by month data.
Ensenada Events: DÃa de los Muertos
DÃa de los Muertos (November 1 to 2) brings altars, face painting and candlelit processions to downtown Ensenada and the city cemeteries. The malecón and Plaza de las Tres Cabezas host altars and music, and bakeries sell pan de muerto all week. It is a family-oriented event, free to attend.
Ensenada Events: Grito de Independencia
On the night of September 15, Ensenada marks Mexican Independence Day with the Grito, a reenactment of the 1810 call to arms, in front of the municipal building on Avenida Reforma. Expect fireworks, mariachi and street food, with the biggest crowds downtown after 21:00. September 16 is a national holiday, and banks and some shops close. There is plenty else to see around town in the things to do in Ensenada guide.
Ensenada Events: Beer Fest and Seafood Festivals
Ensenada hosts a growing beer scene and annual food events. The Ensenada Beer Fest, usually in spring, pours from Baja craft breweries like Wendlandt and Agua Mala. The city also anchors seafood festivals and oyster-heavy events in the Valle de Guadalupe in the shoulder seasons. Dates shift year to year, so for help choosing your dates see the best time to visit Ensenada guide.
Ensenada Events: Annual Calendar at a Glance
- January to March: gray whale watching season in the bay.
- February or March: Carnival, six days before Lent.
- Late April: Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race.
- Early June: Baja 500 off-road race.
- August: Fiestas de la Vendimia wine harvest in the valley.
- September 15 to 16: Grito de Independencia and Independence Day.
- November 1 to 2: DÃa de los Muertos.
- Mid-November: Baja 1000 off-road race.
