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Puerto Vallarta will become the first Mexican host city for the HEAT Latin Music Awards, with the international Latin music ceremony scheduled for Nov. 5 at the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center.
The announcement was made Aug. 13 in Miami during a presentation attended by national and international media, artists, content creators and music-industry representatives.
The 2026 edition, officially titled HEAT Latin Music Awards al Estilo Jalisco, is being organized in coordination with the Government of Jalisco and the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta.
“The presence of international events like this consolidates Jalisco as the Mexican capital of entertainment,” said Lorena Martínez , general director of the Jalisco State Entertainment Agency, at the Miami event. Attending with her and other Jalisco officials were José Miguel Santos, director of Event Management for Jalisco.
The ceremony will close HEAT Week, a six-day series of music and entertainment activities taking place across Jalisco from Oct. 31 through Nov. 5. Organizers said the dates were deliberately chosen to coincide with Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations. These are the days when Mexican families take photos, cook the favorite dishes of their loved ones, light candles that burn until dawn, and create paths of marigolds.
“Jalisco isn’t just lending us a venue: it’s giving us a home and a place to come together again around music. We arrive with ten years of Latin American music collections, and here we’ve found the hands that know how to shape them,” said Diana Montes, General Director of the HEAT Latin Music Awards.
Six hosts have been confirmed for the Puerto Vallarta ceremony: Mexican television personality and influencer Karime Pindter; Dominican television presenter Caroline Aquino; Colombian content creator La Segura; Uruguayan chef and creator Ignacio Baladán; Venezuelan creator Yohana Vargas; and Colombian Latin music broadcaster Dímelo King.
The 2026 ceremony will be broadcast live on LosHeat.tv, according to the official announcement. No traditional television broadcaster has been announced.
The full list of nominees and performers for the Nov. 5 ceremony has not yet been announced. Several artists performed at the Miami launch, including Dominican singer Eddy Herrera, Colombian singer Jessi Uribe, Ecuadorian singer Dayanara, Mexican singer Mario Girón and Colombian artist Jhon de la Torre. HEAT said the 2026 nominees will be announced soon.
The awards have historically attracted major names in Latin music. Past nominees, winners and participants have included Karol G, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Maluma, Feid, Anitta and Shakira, among others.
About Heat Latin Music Awards
The HEAT Latin Music Awards are the most important Spanish-language music awards ceremony in Latin America. Founded in 2015 in the Dominican Republic, they have been touring the region for over ten years, honoring the best Latin music talent through fan votes. Each edition brings together artists from different countries and genres who have made this music their identity and their banner.
The ceremony was traditionally held in the Dominican Republic, particularly in Punta Cana and Cap Cana. The 2025 edition moved to Medellín, Colombia. The Puerto Vallarta ceremony will mark the first time the awards have been held in Mexico.
Jalisco Connections
The 2026 edition will also give the awards a distinctly Jalisco identity. Organizers say the signature HEAT globe trophy is being remade using five traditional Jalisco crafts: Tonalá ceramics, Wixárika art, blown glass, traditional toy-making and piteado. The work is being carried out by artisans in Jalisco, and organizers say no two trophies will be exactly alike.
The Jalisco connection will extend beyond the trophies. Organizers are highlighting mariachi, charrería, tequila and the state’s agave-growing region as part of the identity of the Mexican edition.
The Miami launch also featured Guadalajara-born Sala de Despecho, which has expanded to cities including Miami, New York, Las Vegas, Vail, Barcelona and Madrid. Tequila Tesoro Azul, associated with Mexican singer-songwriter Marco Antonio Solís, also participated in the event.
For Puerto Vallarta, the awards will bring an international Latin music brand to the city during a week of entertainment activities, potentially providing exposure to audiences throughout Latin America and beyond.
The event is also receiving public support from the state. Jalisco published LPN 478/2026, a procurement process seeking an integral production, logistics, operations and execution service for the HEAT Latin Music Awards 2026. The procurement includes promotional and press activities, showcases, the awards gala and dismantling. The procurement was published July 17 and is currently listed as under evaluation. The public record does not yet show the final contract amount. See Jalisco government procurement record: LPN 478/2026 — HEAT Latin Music Awards 2026.
There is no publicly announced figure establishing a separate financial incentive from the Puerto Vallarta municipal government or its tourism authorities.
A specific economic-impact projection for Puerto Vallarta has not been announced. The eventual benefit to the city will depend on attendance, visitor spending, hotel stays and the international exposure generated by the event.
The HEAT Latin Music Awards will take place Nov. 5 at the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center, with HEAT Week running Oct. 31 through Nov. 5.
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