The small farming community of Ejido Alfredo V. Bonfil in Mulegé municipality hosted its third annual Feria del Dátil last weekend, drawing 43 vendors and highlighting one of Baja California Sur’s lesser-known agricultural products: dates.
The festival featured date-based products ranging from fresh fruit and date bread to palm jewelry, ice cream and liqueurs. The event has become a regional showcase for the ejido’s date palm industry, which produces 240 tons annually from 235 hectares of date palms.
Why Dates Matter in Mulegé
José Alfredo Bermúdez Beltrán, head of the state’s Secretary of Fishing, Aquaculture and Agricultural Development (SEPADA), said the harvest generates 7.3 million pesos in annual value for local producers. The crop provides steady income for farming families in a region better known for mining and fishing.
“This activity represents a source of income for producer families and contributes to the economic development of Mulegé,” Bermúdez Beltrán said during the festival’s inauguration, according to the state government.
What Visitors Found
The festival offered more than just agricultural products. Vendors sold handmade crafts using date palm materials, including jewelry and decorative items. Food stalls served date-flavored ice cream and baked goods. Local liquor makers displayed date-based spirits.
Mulegé Mayor Edith Aguilar Villavicencio and organizing committee president Silvia Uscanga Aguilar joined state officials for the opening. Multiple state agencies supported the event, including the secretaries of Tourism and Economy, Planning, Infrastructure and Environment, and Labor and Social Development.
Part of Baja Sur’s Festival Season
The date festival joins a growing calendar of regional harvest celebrations across Baja California Sur. Similar events in Comondú, Todos Santos and other communities celebrate mangos, pitayas and other local crops.
Bermúdez Beltrán said the state government continues backing community festivals that preserve regional traditions and support local economies. The Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur and Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Mulegé also participated in organizing the event.
For residents and visitors interested in Baja Sur’s agricultural traditions beyond the coast, the Mulegé date festival offers a look at one of the state’s quiet success stories. The event’s third year suggests it’s becoming a fixture on the regional calendar.
