Rosarito’s Puerto Nuevo Celebrates 18th Lobster Festival on October 17

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO---It all started with a tiny fishing village beside a road sign advertising Newport cigarettes --- hence the name Puerto Nuevo (New Port).

Now the village about 12 miles south of downtown Rosarito on the Free Road has grown into one of the most famous destinations in the world for lobster lovers, with as many as 40 restaurants serving up to a million of the tasty crustaceans each year.

On Oct. 17 from 12 to 7 Puerto Nuevo will celebrate its 18^th annual Lobster Festival, held in conjunction with the start of California fresh lobster season which extends from October through March.

For a $20 ticket participating restaurants will offer a lobster plate and three drinks. Live music by The Moonlights, the traditional waiter race and a raffle also will highlight the day. 

It will be a grand Sunday celebration of the traditions of Mexico.

It all began in the 1940s. The village was popular destination for U.S. residents wanting to go out for a day of fishing. When they returned, hungry, they’d ask fishermen if they could eat before they left for the drive home.

Succulent lobster --- served with homemade tortillas, beans and rice --- often was the most plentiful and easiest food for the fishermen’s wives to prepare. Soon, U.S. sportsmen were bringing friends down for delicious dinners and restaurants were opening.

Puerto Nuevo-style lobster --- quickly deep fried in the shell so the meat remains tender, moist and white ---became famous and now is served throughout Rosarito, Baja, Southern California and other destinations.

“This is one of our city’s premier events,” said Rosarito Mayor Hugo Torres. “For decades people throughout the world have enjoyed and talked of our famous lobster village. We look forward to seeing many of them here at the festival.”

Puerto Nuevo now features many stores and souvenir shops as well as restaurants, making it somewhat akin to a Disneyland for lobster lovers. It even has its own museum.

For those looking to make this a weekend visit, the first Rosarito Art Festival also is being held Saturday and Sunday in front of the Rosarito Beach Hotel. Details on these and other events are available by visiting the Rosarito Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau website: www.rosarito.org or by calling 1-800-962-BAJA.