The longest-running festival for the LGBTQ+ bear community in Puerto Vallarta returns from January 24 to February 1 for its 24th anniversary. Presented by Steve Buczek, the event features an extensive program of activities, including pool parties, a booze cruise, fundraising events, and nightly club parties hosted by international DJs.
Now entering its fourth year, Stars With a Heart has raised more than 2 million pesos for local causes. The first two editions benefited the Vallarta Food Bank (now Vallarta Cares), while last year’s event—and the upcoming 2026 show—support the Vallarta School for Girls, a nonprofit dedicated to providing education and opportunity to girls with limited resources.
Puerto Vallarta set new tourism records in 2025, posting gains in visitor arrivals, hotel occupancy, airport traffic and cruise activity despite a year marked by geopolitical tensions that dampened travel in other destinations.
Meet Eric Flores, the owner of MexCar PV - a specialized automotive advisory firm dedicated to transforming the car-buying experience from a source of stress into a seamless transition.
A new condominium development, the 94-Unit Velōa Residences, is planned for the corner property at Constitución 264 in the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood, a site long known as the home Quinta Encanto and tied through records and oral history to one of Puerto Vallarta’s early civic families.
Héctor “Teto” Betancourt, a familiar face in local activism for decades, is now spearheading a new era of LGBTQ+ inclusion as the head of the Sexual Diversity Office in the Puerto Vallarta Municipal Government.
The Swedes, celebrating 15 years in Puerto Vallarta's Romantic Zone, earned a nomination for "Best Gay Owned Restaurant" at the 2024 Puerto Vallarta Gays Best of Awards. The nomination celebrates its enduring legacy and strong connections within the city's vibrant LGBTQ+ community.
