Mexico is preparing this weekend to honor one of its most beloved and meaningful traditions: the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos — a celebration that captures the country’s deep and poetic connection between life and death.

Across the nation, from vibrant cities to quiet rural communities, families are setting up ofrendas, or home altars, adorned with marigolds, candles, sugar skulls, incense, and photographs of those who have passed. The golden glow of cempasúchil flowers — symbols of remembrance and love — will light the way through streets, plazas, and cemeteries, as Mexico opens its doors to welcome the spirits of its ancestors back home.

The creative team and cast of Mexodus are building a special Ofrenda (altar) in the lobby of the Minetta Lane Theatre, featuring photos of their loved ones and personal tributes that reflect the show’s central themes of heritage, migration, and resilience.

Starting Tuesday, October 28, audiences attending the final performances will also be invited to participate by adding the names of their own loved ones to the display — transforming the theater into a space of remembrance, unity, and shared storytelling.

The Ofrenda will be on view through the closing performance, aligning perfectly with Día de Muertos traditions and offering a poetic conclusion to Mexodus’s celebrated New York engagement.

What: Mexodus Ofrenda — Día de Muertos Celebration
Where: Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane, New York, NY)
When: October 28  – display will be live in the lobby.

For over 20 years, the AAACNA Studies Center in the Dr. Martin Luther King Library in San José has played host to a spectacular Dia de Muertos ofrenda exhibit titled the “Art of Remembrance.”

The Center’s librarian and director Kathryn Blackmer Reyes commented that surrounding this remarkable display of over 20 altars and dozens of alebrijes and crafted miniatures, the loss earlier this year of the project’s coordinator and fund-developer Arlene Segun, is palpable.

Arlene’s daughter, Valerie Sagun, installed an ofrenda including a video on her mom’s 28 years overseeing the huge annual Calenda and Day of the Dead Festival that brought together a culturally diverse community to celebrate their loved ones and friends who have passed on. Arlene also was a drummer in the ensemble TABIA, and director of the San José Multicultural Artists’ Guild, the exhibit’s main sponsor through the years.

Also impacting the annual Dia de Muertos activities was the recent passing of philanthropist Alcario Castellanos, whose foundation was a significant funder of Hispanic educational and community programs.

Rita Herrera and her husband Joel, Chairman of the State G.I. Forum, installed a large ofrenda in his memory.  Alcario was a long-time member of the local G.I. Forum and his wife Carmen worked for the San José City College administration.

Phillis Carrasco and Rick Moreno, who were significant “Art of Remembrance” installation artists since the first year and are now resting in peace,  were honored with ofrendas created by family and friends. Pieces of their art remain part of a permanent DDLM collection in the AAACNA Studies Center, including the spectacular 20-foot Rey Calaca standing in the foyer of the library.

Children and adults find comfort and joy in the celebratory traditions of the Mexican holiday Día de Muertos. “Art of Remembrance” exhibits always welcome entries from professional artists, family groups, and community. For many, it is the first time.

Oscar Pimienta, whose children Jasmine and Max,  are dancers with Folklórico Nacional Mexicano de Elena Robles, spent hours collaborating with other parents on a group altar. “This is new for our family,” he said. “I didn’t have it growing up and it feels good to share our family with my own kids; to learn more about our heritage.”

Art of Remembrance Ofrenda Exhibit will be open through November 4, 2025, in the AAACNA Studies Center, 5th Floor, of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library 150 E San Fernando St. San José

The play follows a recently departed soul named Alejandro who has just arrived in Mictlán, the land of the dead, on the eve of el Día de los Muertos. But la Muerte notices that something is different about this soul’s arrival—he can’t remember anything about his past. 

Meanwhile, los muertitos—the dead—can’t wait to get back to the land of the living to visit their loved ones. But the portal to the other land is blocked, and they discover that one of them is holding them back! To cross in time for the holiday, los muertitos have to help Alejandro resolve his unfinished business. Otherwise, they might be stuck until next year… 

Director Rodrigo García says, “La Muerte Baila is a poignant story of love and forgiveness that shows us how we can overcome challenges in life—or death—with a helping hand from those around us. This ravishing play devised by Rebecca Martinez and the Milagro Theatre ensemble  uses levity and humor to remind us that laughter is a powerful medicine para el corazón.” 

La Muerte Baila invites audiences to connect with the play in meaningful and unique ways. This year, we’re asking our community members to share photos of their dearly departed so that we may honor their memory at the show. The participatory aspect of the play begins with activities in the lobby beforehand, in which audiences continue the tradition of honoring their lost loved ones. Throughout the play’s comedic twists and turns, the characters interact directly with the audience, running through the audience and joking with them. The audience participates in Alejandro’s healing process by sharing things they’d miss from Earth in the afterlife, culminating in an invocation honoring those who have left us. The overall effect is complex – funny yet simultaneously personal, poignant, and introspective.

La Muerte Baila unites the talents of dozens of San José-based artists, musicians, and performers. Within our brilliant cast, we’re excited to have local activist and well-known artist, Ugho Badú. As the actors bring the story to life, the incredible musicians, which consists of Russell Rodriguez, Lolis Garcia, and Claudio Vega, play Son Jarocho music, which often includes call and responses, improvisation, and is accompanied by zapateados. Influenced by Spanish, Indigenous, and African cultures, the vibrant blend of rhythms and melodies transports the audience into another world. The talent goes further as the costume designs are from Veracruz. The amount of detail within the embroidery is simply extraordinary. The vivid scenery is inspired by El árbol de la vida – The Tree of Life – as well as modern art. Come for the story and talent, stay for the beautiful visuals and music.

You can see La Muerte Baila live and in person, October 9-19, at the Mexican Heritage Plaza  Theater. Tickets are $10 to $40, on sale now at www.teatrovision.org/lamuertebaila or (408)  294-6621. La Muerte Baila is directed by Rodrigo García and features music direction by Russell Rodriguez.

Join us on Friday, September 19^th, from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm as we open the doors to the 39^th annual Día de Muertos exhibition: A Celebration of Remembrance.Opening night is a special moment to gather at the Museum, honor our loved ones, and be among the first to experience the ofrendas created by local artists and Mexican regions like Guerrero, Puebla, and the State of Mexico traditions.

If you’re on Facebook, let us know if you plan on attending by clicking GOING on our event.

After you’ve seen the exhibition, step into the Courtyard and continue your Día de Muertos journey with an immersive installation designed and curated by the youth artists of Yollocalli Arts Reach. This installation features vibrant original artwork inspired by traditional nicho boxes. Make your visit complete by stopping at the community ofrenda, where you’re invited to leave a note, drawing, or memory in honor of a loved one. Together, we’ll create a beautiful collective tribute.

Mexico City, October, 2016 /PRNewswire

Photos by Mary J. Andrade

The Mexico Tourism Board (MTB) announced a new, multi-faceted campaign to bring tourists to Mexico during the annual Day of the Dead holiday that is celebrated all over the country. Encompassing both media and brand partnerships, MTB is also hosting an inaugural Day of the Dead Parade in the heart of Mexico City with the goal of drawing locals and tourists to experience this traditional holiday in a memorable way.
The Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos), an important festival in Mexico, celebrates the souls of departed loved ones. The traditions date back centuries, and origins of the festival can be traced back to Mesoamerican times when month-long celebrations were held.

“Día de Muertos, in various forms, has been an integral part of Mexican culture for centuries,” said Lourdes Berho, CEO of the Mexico Tourism Board. “The Mexico Tourism Board is thrilled to share time honoured rituals with the world with this initiative, and we invite everyone near and far to join us in celebrating our culture on this special holiday.”

Although traditions vary by regions, an integral theme of the festival is welcoming back the souls of lost loved ones. Family and friends of the departed decorate gravestones in bright flowers or build special altars in their home laid out with treats like sweets, liquor or gifts to entice souls back to earth for the day. The most iconic of these offerings are las calaveras, or the sugar skulls, decorated and engraved with the deceased’s name for the holiday.

The festivities are widely thought to be presided over by the goddess Mictecacíhuatl, wife of Mictlantecuhtli, Lord of the underworld. She is known as “Lady Death” or, more recently as “La Catrina”, a character created by artist José Guadalupe Posada. Her image has become a core part of celebrations across the country.

First-Ever Parade in Mexico City
On Saturday, October 29, Mexico City will host the first-ever Day of the Dead Parade, which will start at the Angel of Independence monument, go down Reforma, then towards the city center through 5 de Mayo Avenue. The parade route will showcase floats and costumed performers marching and dancing down the avenue, culminating in Mexico City’s iconic Zocalo square.

The parade can be enjoyed from 2 P.M. to 6 P.M CMT, and will be livestreamed via Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/VisitMexico) hosted by the popular Mexican talk radio show personality Martha Debayle.

In addition, participating restaurants and hotels will be joining the revelry with their own Day of the Dead altars during the festivities. Tourists and locals are invited to dress in colourful clothing, wear sugar skull masks and flower crowns, and bring traditional treats, like bread of the dead, for a truly immersive experience.

Activations and Media Partnerships
Additionally, the celebrations extend beyond just Mexico with a partnership with the legendary cultural and art magazine The New Yorker. In addition to digital and media elements throughout the month of October, an event was hosted in New York City on October 8. Consumers attended culinary demonstrations, Day of the Dead tutorials with Chef Joel Zaragoza as well as a mezcal and mixology class with spirits expert Steve Olson at New York’s Casa Neta restaurant.

In addition to the event, The New Yorker launched a newsletter edition detailing the events and rituals surrounding the Day of the Dead to be shared with the outlet’s subscribers.

Another media partner, National Geographic, will host a specialty photo collection for consumers in Washington, D.C. The collection, which opens on Nov. 3, outlines the traditions of the Day of the Dead throughout Mexico and the important role the celebration plays in Mexican culture and history.

In Mexico, Grupo Expansión’s publications: Chilango, Accent and Aire, will feature special sections on Day of the Dead, the history of the event, and this year’s celebrations throughout Mexico. As part of the collaboration, Chilango, Accent and Aire will even offer individual booklets in each of their October or November print editions for consumers to deep-dive into the traditions of Day of the Dead, and see the ways they can join the celebration from anywhere around the world.

Additional activities include special Day of the Dead content for social and public relations efforts, social media amplification through official channels, and experiential initiatives such as familiarization trips to experience Mexico City.

San José, CA – October 2016 – In the Latino culture, Día de los Muertos helps children celebrate life and not fear death. This year Children’s Discovery Museum of San José will offer special activities geared for children four and under, in addition to the traditional Día de los Muertos’ activities at the museum’s annual celebration that remembers and honors the dead. The program is part of the museum’s Cultural Celebration series and will be held on Sunday, October 30 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. All activities are included in the price of admission.

Using a marigold as a paintbrush, the youngest visitors can create their own masterpiece in the Wonder Cabinet Art Loft and join in an interactive storytime selected special for this day.

“Celebrating Día de los Muertos is an important part of our mission and Cultural Celebration series,” said Jessica Torres, associate director of education at Children’s Discovery Museum of San José. “I’m proud that the museum brings together families and children to share traditions and customs with one another, and offering fun and engaging activities for our youngest visitors is an integral part of this and all of our community celebrations.”

The day features clay skull-making and decorating, mask-making, and the opportunity for kids to paint their faces like a calavera or skull. There will be music and dance performances and a procession led by the artistic troupe, Teatro Familia Aztlán, dressed in skeleton costumes carrying large papier mache puppets. The museum’s procession is uniquely exciting compared to others in the community – it includes a stop at Lupe, the 14,000 year-old “muerto” mammoth.

Before the performances begin, visitors are invited to write down the names of loved ones who have passed and say those names aloud to the audience. It’s a touching way the museum provides the opportunity for parents, children and family members to learn about and celebrate traditions and customs together. Visitors are invited to bring a personal memento to share on a community altar created for the day. They can also visit a spectacular altar created by artist Lissa Jones in the Oaxacan tradition that will be on view through November 6.

Partnered with Ford Motor Company, kid-friendly “Day of the Dead” holiday event to include family fun, creative activities, and mask-making contest

San Francisco, CA – October 2016 – The Mexican Museum will host a very special Family Sunday event on October 23, that will mark the celebration of Mexico’s colorful Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). This year’s Día de los Muertos festivities will run from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. at The Mexican Museum, located at Fort Mason Center, Building D, in San Francisco. Like all Family Sundays, this event is free and open to people of all ages. Due to limited space, the public is encouraged to arrive early. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, please call (415) 202-9700 ext 224.

Creative festivities at the museum’s 2016 Día de los Muertos event will include “Calavera” skull-mask face painting done by professional Bay Area face painters. Guests can also participate in Make a Mask with Ford! – a special activity where attendees can decorate their own papier-mâché mask using supplied materials (limited activity with 45 masks provided). A contest will be held to select the most creative mask, with the top pick winning a one-year family membership to The Mexican Museum.

Partnered with the Ford Motor Company, which believes that diversity and inclusion are critical to the company’s success. President and CEO Mark Fields believes they are part of Ford’s commitment to Go Further by working together as one team while leveraging skills across the globe, valuing, including and respecting each other and, in doing so, achieving profitable growth for all.

Because Día de los Muertos is a day to remember departed loved ones, The Mexican Museum will also supply art tables where guests can make personalized, mini-altars for loved ones who have passed away. Attendees are encouraged to bring printed photos of their loved ones or a small item in honor of them to create a personalized mini-ofrenda. Museum volunteers will be on hand to assist younger artists and answer questions. Additionally, Bay Area artists Paco and Gloria Toscano will showcase a special altar made for The Mexican Museum, which will be on display in the reception area of the museum.

This year’s Día de los Muertos Family Sunday event is especially poignant to The Mexican Museum as it acknowledges the passing of the museum’s beloved founder, Peter Rodriguez, who died on July 1, 2016. The October 23rd event will celebrate Rodriguez’ dedication to the global recognition and advancement of Mexican, Chicano, and Latin American art and culture.

In addition to the hands-on projects, attendees will be able to view an exhibition of contemporary Latino art. The gift store, La Tienda, will also be open.

The Mexican Museum is open Thursday – Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. FREE Admission.

About Día de los Muertos: Día de los Muertos is a renowned Mexican holiday celebrated each year on November 1-2, and is marked by the gathering of family and friends to remember dead loved ones. It is believed that on this day, deceased loved ones come back to visit with their families. Families build altars to remember and welcome back their loved ones and, along with a photo of the dead relation, his or her favorite food and drink are placed on this altar.

On-stage performances feature La Santa Cecilia, Mariachi Flor de Toloache, the women of the SF Symphony Chorus, and Casa Círculo Cultural

Pre-concert festivities in the DSH lobbies include original art installations and altars, dancing, candy skull decorating and other crafts, and family-friendly holiday festivities

San Francisco, October 2016 – The San Francisco Symphony (SFS) celebrates the Latino community and its living heritage at its ninth annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Community Concerts on Saturday, November 5 at 2pm and 8pm in Davies Symphony Hall. On-stage performers include La Santa Cecilia from Los Angeles, the all-female Mariachi Flor de Toloache from New York, the women of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus in a selection of Mexican folk songs, and Bay Area theater group Casa Círculo Cultural. Festive Día de los Muertos activities for all ages, including art installations, dancing, arts and crafts, and complimentary food and beverages take place 75 minutes prior to both performances.

The San Francisco Symphony’s yearly Día de los Muertos event offers a multidimensional immersion in the vibrant cultural traditions of the holiday, marked annually in Mexico and throughout Latin America to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have died. This year’s performances are headlined by the Los Angeles-based group La Santa Cecilia. Accompanied for these concerts by a 10-piece string section performing new arrangements of their music, La Santa Cecilia incorporates dance-friendly rhythms ranging from cumbia, bossa nova, tango, bolero, jazz, rock, and klezmer music. The band cites influences as broad as Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, Mercedes Sosa, and Ramon Ayala. The barrier-breaking, all-female mariachi group Mariachi Flor de Toloache performs on the first half of the concerts, giving audiences a taste of its unique mélange of modern and traditional mariachi. The diverse cultural backgrounds of the women in the group infuse its sound with influences from a sophisticated, worldwide spectrum of music. The women of the Grammy Award-winning San Francisco Symphony Chorus open the concert with a selection of Mexican folk songs, accompanied by dancers from Casa Círculo Cultural.

75 minutes before each concert, the Día de los Muertos celebrations start in the colorfully decorated Davies Symphony Hall lobbies. Families and children can roam through original art installations and altars built by local artists to honor the dead. Guests are invited to bring objects, photos, and offerings to contribute to the two community altars. Children and families will also be able to decorate and take home candy sugar skulls, make papel picado, banners, and other arts and crafts. Musicians and dancers will provide additional entertainment in the lobbies, and complimentary pan de muerto and Mexican hot chocolate will be served.

The Día de los Muertos Community Concerts are part of the San Francisco Symphony’s commitment to providing compelling musical experiences that celebrate the diversity of its community. In response to the overwhelming success of previous Día de los Muertos concerts, in 2015 an 8pm performance was added to the festivities.

An 11am brunch prior to the afternoon performance will be offered in the Wattis Room at Davies Symphony Hall as a fundraising event produced by the Symphony’s San Francisco League to support the Orchestra’s education and community programs. Brunch packages include a seated brunch with mimosas, sangria, and other Día de los Muertos surprises, followed by premium seating at the 2pm matinee concert. The brunch will conclude by 1pm so that guests may enjoy the pre-concert lobby activities. Brunch packages also include an invitation to a private tour of the Día de los Muertos altars with the altar artists on Tuesday, October 25, followed by a reception. Call the Volunteer Council for details at (415) 503-5500 and purchase tickets on the Symphony’s website at www.sfsymphony.org. Ticket exchanges and group discounts not available.

Please note: The Orchestra of the San Francisco Symphony does not perform on these concerts.

Pre-Concert Festivities
The San Francisco Symphony’s 2016 Día de los Muertos celebrations on Saturday, November 5 begin 75 minutes prior to each concert, when attendees are invited to participate in the rich Día de los Muertos traditions that are a significant part of San Francisco’s cultural life. Beginning at 12:45pm and 6:45pm, dance company Cuicacalli and Mariachi Juvenil la Misión from Buena Vista/Horace Mann Middle School will lead a procession outside of Davies Symphony Hall that incorporates traditional music and dance from various regions of Mexico, welcoming guests to the festivities.

Inside the lobbies, members of Casa Círculo Cultural theater company, dressed as Catrinas and Catrines, the iconic figures of Día de los Muertos, will greet guests. Costumed in the Pachuco style from the 1950s, the Casa Círculo Cultural actors will also lead a procession into the concert hall to begin the performance. Casa Círculo Cultural will create enormous butterfly-winged skeletons to adorn the towering glass windows of the Davies Symphony Hall lobbies, drawing on the theme of immigration and the ancient legend and spiritual significance of the monarch butterfly, a symbol of rebirth and regeneration. Casa Círculo Cultural will also create a giant arch spanning Davies Symphony Hall’s grand stairway, anchored by two trees covered in monarch butterflies made by children. Artists from Creativity Explored, the San Francisco-based organization providing artistic opportunities for people with developmental disabilities, will create a gigantic transparent altar, and participants can write notes to the departed to attach to the altar. Prominent Bay Area artist Ester Hernandez will offer an installation honoring her grandmother, who emigrated during the Mexican Revolution and hid coins and bills inside the hems and ruffles of clothing, bedding, and curtains.

Other unique altars will include an installation by Adela Juarez, who will create an altar inspired by Santa Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. A self-taught artist and second generation Mexican-American, Juarez worked as a farmworker along with her parents, both migrant farm workers living in the San Joaquin Valley. Sculptor and visual artist Viva Paredes will honor the 49 victims of the Orlando nightclub massacre, many of whom were Latino, with a commemorative altar. Sculptor Indira Urrutia’s altar will be in the shape of a teardrop, to which guests can attach paper flower petals. Sculptor and set designer Fernando Escartiz has created a paper maché skeleton holding a suitcase carrying more than clothes: the immigrant brings memories, music, culture, smells, and flavors from his homeland to contribute to his new country. Attendees are invited to bring photos or objects honoring their own deceased loved ones to place at the two community altars. Bilingual volunteers from San Francisco’s Mexican Museum will be present to explain the significance of each altar.

Bilingual lobby activities prior to both concerts include face painting, paper flower making, papel picado and skull banner making, and tortilla art making, organized by Children’s Activities Coordinator Indira Urrutia, and two photo booths by photographer Marc Hors. There will also be a sugar skull demonstration and decoration by Irma Ortiz. Dancers from Rueda con Ritmo will entertain guests and invite them to join in the celebrations.

The Symphony Store in the main lobby will offer a Día de los Muertos pop-up shop during the event, partnering with Mari Arreola of Shop Spanglish. The shop will feature clothing, stickers, prints designed by Maldición, face tattoos, CDs, sugar skull kits, accessories, wine glasses, cook books, and more. Artist Adela Juarez will show and sell her original artwork. Beautiful Huichol skulls from the Mexican Museum will be available for purchase, as will author Mary Andrade’s books on the different Día de los Muertos traditions practiced throughout Mexico.

SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY: DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS COMMUNITY CONCERTS
Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 2pm (lobby festivities begin at 12:45pm)
Saturday, November 5, 2016 at 8pm (lobby festivities begin at 6:45pm)

Davies Symphony Hall
201 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA

La Santa Cecilia
Mariachi Flor de Toloache
Casa Círculo Cultural theater group
Women of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus

Bring the entire family to a celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), with Los Angeles’s Grammy Award-winning La Santa Cecilia, the all-female Mariachi Flor de Toloache from New York, the Bay Area’s own Casa Círculo Cultural theater group, and the Women of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Entertainment and activities begin 75 minutes prior to each show, when the dramatic, light-filled Davies Symphony Hall lobbies will be decorated with Día de los Muertos altars designed and created by local artists, guests can make traditional and contemporary Día de los Muertos-related crafts, dancers and musicians will entertain the crowd, and free refreshments will be served.

Please note: The Orchestra of the San Francisco Symphony does not perform on these concerts.

Tickets: $20-$90. Half price for ages 17 and under with the purchase of an adult ticket. Tickets are available at sfsymphony.org, by phone at 415-864-6000, and at the Davies Symphony Hall Box Office, on Grove Street between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street in San Francisco. Brunch and concert packages that include a private tour of the altar installations on Tuesday, October 25 are available by calling the San Francisco Symphony Volunteer Council at 415-503-5500

The exhibition will open to the public on Friday, September 23rd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and will continue through December 11th, 2016. A special member preview will take place opening night from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

This year marks the 30th annual Day of the Dead exhibition in Chicago. Three decades ago when the Museum first initiated this artistic tradition, few Chicagoans were familiar with the life-affirming holiday. Today, the ancestral rituals involved in honoring deceased loved ones have become part of the popular culture across the US. Journey of the Soul showcases the indigenous roots and rituals involved in the spiritual tradition. Site-specific ofrendas, popular art, and fine art by more than fifty Mexican artists from both sides of the border make up the largest annual exhibition of Day of the Dead in the U.S.

Interested in attending the member preview? Click here for more information on exclusive member benefits, and to join or renew online today.

Group Tours
Reserve your spot! The Museum is now accepting group tour reservations. During the annual Day of the Dead exhibition we cannot allow
self-guided visiting groups due to capacity constraints. Tours must have a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 40. Reservations must be made via telephone, please call 312.738.1503 ext. 3842.