Ensenada to Celebrate 78th Anniversary of Margarita With Culinary and Cultural Festival
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Ensenada will mark the 78th anniversary of the Margarita with the 11th annual Festival de la Margarita on Aug. 29 at the historic Centro Social, Cívico y Cultural Riviera de Ensenada.
The free festival will begin at 2 p.m. in the Riviera gardens and will feature food vendors, eight bars at Bar Andaluz, a Margarita-making workshop, cultural and sporting activities, and live entertainment.
The event is organized as a celebration of the cocktail’s longstanding association with Ensenada and its place in the region’s tourism and culinary history.
Baja California Tourism Secretary Miguel Ángel Badiola Montaño said the festival provides an opportunity to highlight an element of Ensenada’s tourism identity and recognize traditions associated with Baja California.
“Celebrating the history of the Margarita also means honoring the creativity of Baja California,” Badiola said, according to the state Tourism Secretariat. “The birth of this cocktail reminds us that our state has been the setting for experiences and moments that have left a mark on gastronomy and hospitality around the world.”
The festival will include a variety of food offerings and Margarita preparations served at eight bars associated with Bar Andaluz. A workshop will also give attendees an opportunity to learn about the preparation of the cocktail.
The entertainment lineup includes performances by students from Casa de la Cultura, as well as an ensemble from the Baja California Orchestra performing a tribute to the Mexican children’s television program “31 Minutos.”
Other performers scheduled to appear include Mala Banda, Los Claytons, Souls DJ, DJ Rubio and the Mariachi de Ensenada. The mariachi group is scheduled to perform “Las Mañanitas” as part of the anniversary celebration. Astros de Mendoza will headline the festival.
Activities will begin before the main festival. A presentation on the history of the Margarita, the Bar Andaluz mural, and its artist is scheduled for Aug. 27 at 6 p.m. at Patio Bugambilias.
On Aug. 28, organizers will hold a 4-kilometer race in collaboration with the RYP running club as part of the activities surrounding the festival.
The Centro Social, Cívico y Cultural Riviera de Ensenada was inaugurated in 1930 as the Hotel Playa Ensenada. The property became an important resort in the region during Prohibition in the United States, when Ensenada attracted visitors from across the border.
The complex is home to Bar Andaluz, which is traditionally identified as the birthplace of the Margarita. According to the historical account promoted by the Riviera, the cocktail was created in August 1948 by David Negrete in honor of Marjorie “Margarita” King Plant, who was then the owner of the hotel.
The story of the Margarita’s origin has been associated with the Riviera for decades, contributing to Ensenada’s reputation as part of the cocktail’s history.
Bar Andaluz continues to operate within the Riviera complex and preserves elements connected to the building’s history. The site remains a destination for visitors interested in Ensenada’s tourism and culinary heritage.
The Festival de la Margarita is part of broader efforts by Baja California tourism officials to promote historic and cultural attractions as part of the state’s tourism offerings.
The Aug. 29 event will offer visitors an opportunity to experience the Riviera, sample local food and beverages, and participate in cultural and entertainment activities tied to one of Ensenada’s best-known tourism traditions.
