seems to gain momentum in the United States.

 

The two-day celebration remembering the dead, is a cultural celebration that has grown out of the Mexican and Central American traditions. Families remember the dead by assembling an ofrenda at home. The ofrenda is typically adorned with the deceased’s photos, belongings, and favorite foods, as well as candles and other symbolic decorations.

 

The general festive season for Día de los Muertos begins on the evening of October 31 (All Hallows’ Eve) and then splits the two official days to welcome back different spirits. November 1 (Día de los Angelitos / All Saints’ Day) is the day dedicated to remembering and welcoming back the souls of deceased children. November 2 (Día de los Muertos / All Souls’ Day) is the main, full-scale holiday dedicated to honoring deceased adults.

 

 

Here are some Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations in the United States.

 

 

Day of the Dead River Parade (San Antonio, Texas)
The Day of the Dead River Parade is a popular event offering a floating, illuminated spectacle along the world-famous San Antonio River Walk. You will see barge after barge floating down the river with glowing ofrendas, giant calaveras (skulls), and live musical stages. With all the restaurants and bars on the River Walk visitors can enjoy this celebration while eating dinner or sipping tequila.

 

 

Houston Día de los Muertos Festival and Parade (Houston, Texas)
The 6th annual Día de los Muertos Festival and Parade takes place a week after Día de los Muertos. Held at Sam Houston Park this massive, free celebration completely transforms downtown Houston into a sea of marigolds, music, and memory. The event features an evening parade of illuminated floats, giant calaveras, and community processions alongside live musical performances, a bustling artisan market, and delicious traditional food vendors. It serves as a beautiful, large-scale public manifestation of shared love and grief that unites the city.

 

 

Viva la Vida Festival & Parade (Austin, Texas)
This is Austin’s longest-running Day of the Dead celebration mixing traditional Mexican culture with the city’s arts scene. The event is hosted by the Mexic-Arte Museum with the festival opening with a procession that features giant paper-mâché puppets, pre-Columbian dancers, and classic lowriders. Excellent street food, lively music, and hands-on skull painting workshops are highlighted at this celebration.

 

 

Día de los Muertos Festival at Olvera Street (Los Angeles, California)
The Día de los Muertos Festival at Olvera Street is hosted by the Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation and is a week-long traditional festival in the historic heart of LA’s oldest Mexican marketplace. With nine nights of festival featuring candlelight processions, indigenous face painting, theatrical performances, and community altars, Tepeilhuitl (indigenous Aztec blessing ceremonies) begin the evening celebrations each night.

 

 

Day of the Dead at Old Town (San Diego, California)
The vibe here mixes California history with authentic Mexican custom. The event is held at San Diego’s Old Town State Historic Park, which is transformed by a public altar trail linking over 40 historic sites, museums, and shops. The streets are rowdy with traditional mariachi music, folkloric ballet, giant skeleton puppets, and craft workshops.

 

Day of the Dead in the Mission District (San Francisco, California)
This celebration is led by the local community and for 40 years has taken place in San Francisco’s Mission District featuring a spiritual art procession and produced by the Marigold Project.

 

Overall, the celebration is centered around a quiet Festival of Altars in Garfield Park. Thousands of people walk the candlelit procession through the neighborhood while observing artistic community altars.

 

 

All Souls Procession (Tucson, Arizona)
This event draws around 200,000 participants each year and is a non-commercial public manifestation of grief and celebration. There is a two-mile-long human procession where participants dress in costume, carry photos of lost loved ones, and escort a massive, hand-drawn Urn filled with prayers. The night ends with the burning of the Urn, acrobatics, and drumming.

 

 

Chicago Día de los Muertos at NMMA (Chicago, Illinois)
This celebration is held in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. As part of the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), the celebration features one of the most prominent, museum-curated altar exhibitions in the country. Outside the event the Muertos de la Cartonería features massive paper-mâché sculptures, live music, and projections on the museum’s facade.

 

 

Old Town Albuquerque Día de los Muertos (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
This one is perfect for photographers featuring historic adobe backdrops and plenty of vibrant marigolds. You will find a southwestern spin here with traditional Pueblo and New Mexican heritage combined. Held in the historic Old Town Plaza, a historic parade, and beautiful candlelit ofrendas set against the town’s historic adobe architecture is a memorable experience.

 

Another annual event that is one of the most unique, deeply spiritual, and magical celebrations in the entire country on a personal and smaller scale is Dia de los Muertos at the Terlingua Cemetery. It is not a large city parade, but an intimate gathering in the old West Texas ghost town near Big Bend National Park. Part of the allure comes from the fact that Terlingua feels like a place halfway between this world and the next. Every year on November 2, as the sun is setting on the Chihuahuan Desert locals – and some guests – enter the 120+ year-old Terlingua Cemetery sharing stories and food alongside a massive bonfire. There are over 400 historic graves in the cemetery all decorated with marigolds, photographs, and offerings.