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Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday that’s associated with death, but it’s far from a sad holiday. Instead, it’s a time to celebrate the lives of those who have died with food, dancing, music and brightly colored decor, clothing and makeup. Wondering how to celebrate Día de Los Muertos? We’ve got answers.
Many Day of the Dead celebrations include lively festivals and families are known to create ofrendas to remember their deceased loved ones. We were recently invited to be a part of San Antonio’s Day of the Dead celebration, which is the biggest in America, and got an even better idea of what the holiday is all about. So between that event, my personal experience—I’m Mexican and my family makes ofrendas every year—and popular traditions, here is exactly how to celebrate Day of the Dead in 2024.
Related: 15 Totally Cool and Surprising Day of the Dead Facts
How To Celebrate Día de Los Muertos
Day of the Dead is a holiday that originated in Mexico and is a combination of ancient traditions—from the Aztec, Toltec and Nahua people, among other indigenous people—and Catholicism due to colonization. That’s why the date falls on two important days for Catholics: All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1 ) and All Souls Day (Nov. 2).
Different parts of Mexico also celebrate it on Oct. 31 and go as long as Nov. 6, but generally, Día de Los Muertos is observed on those two main dates.
As we already mentioned, Day of the Dead is about honoring and remembering our dead loved ones. So here are just some ways you can celebrate Día de Los Muertos.
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Make an Ofrenda
Courtesy Alani Vargas
An ofrenda, which means “offering” in Spanish, is an altar that families set up in their homes to honor the dead. You can also set them up in cemeteries (which is popular in Mexico) or display them in their local communities.
One of the most essential things you need to place on an ofrenda is photos of your deceased loved ones. These can be pets, family, friends of the family, etc. Other essential items can include:
- Items from the four elements,
- Earth (can be food the deceased loved)
- Fire (candles)
- Air (papel picado)
- Water
You can also add some other items like:
- Calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls)
- Flowers such as marigolds (also known as cempasúchil)
- Incense
- Plate of salt
- Alcohol the deceased loved
- Other items that remind you of them
Related: What Exactly Are Ofrendas, and How Are They Related to Día de Los Muertos?
Eat and/or Make Pan de Muerto
Courtesy Alani Vargas
Pan de Muerto actually comes from the tradition of human sacrifices, as Origin Mexico reported; the Spanish banned them and Indigenous people found an innovative way to recreate a heart out of bread to stand in for a real heart. That’s partly why this is such a perfect way to celebrate Day of the Dead, as it combines rituals from pre-colonization and post-colonization by the Spanish for a holiday that does the exact same thing.
The bread “symbolizes the cycle of life and death due to its circular shape,” and the small circle in the center represents a skull and four “canelillas” around the circle represent bones.
You can either go to your local Mexican bakery and buy some for Day of the Dead or make some of your own!
Support your local communities
As you’ll see below, many Día de Los Muertos celebrations are about community. It’s about not just honoring your deceased loved ones but also sharing joy with those around you.
So, you can do activities like listen to traditional music, eat traditional Mexican food and head out to your local community, especially if they have a Day of the Dead celebration. It’s not cultural appropriation to partake in Day of the Dead events, just be respectful.
And don’t just go out and support your local Mexican or Indigenous community on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2; do so year-round!
Attend a or processional
Courtesy Alani Vargas
As Mano a Mano—a New York City nonprofit that we’ll talk more about later—has reported, s weren’t always a part of Day of the Dead celebrations. They’re more of a modern addition or related to pop culture moments.
But in America, we love s(!), so it makes sense that some of the biggest Día de Los Muertos celebrations in America include s or processionals. If you have one near you, it’s a lovely way to celebrate with a group of people.
Related: National Cook for Your Pets Day? November Holidays and Observances for 2024, With Some You Wouldn’t Expect
The 9 Biggest Day of the Dead Celebrations in America With Parades or Processions
Let’s take a look at some of the largest Day of the Dead celebrations in the United States—including when they are, what you can expect and if there’s a .
1. Albuquerque, New Mexico
As Afar reported, one of the “largest” s “with floats decorated with marigolds and people dressed as calaveras” is Albuquerque’s Muertos y Marigolds . It’s taking place on Nov. 3, 2024, from noon to 4 p.m. at Rio Bravo County Park.
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2. Austin, Texas
2024 marked the 41st annual Viva La Vida festival and celebrating Day of the Dead in Austin, TX. It took place on Oct. 26 and included a Grand Procession, hands-on activities, retail booths, a low-rider exhibit and live performances.
Related: Wondering the History of Halloween? Here’s How It All Began, Plus Spooky Halloween Fun Facts
3. Chicago, Illinois
Their Día de los Muertos Xicágo took place on Oct. 26 and was hosted by the National Museum of Mexican Art in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. There were ofrendas to view, created by community members, along with live music and art activities. And if you’re in the party spirit, you can attend their 10th annual Día de los Muertos Love Never Dies Ball on Nov. 2.
You can also still check out the museum and its annual Día de Muertos exhibit, which runs through Dec. 8, 2024.
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4. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Taking place on Nov. 2, 2024, Florida Day of the Dead’s tagline is “Memory for the Dead, Party for the Living.”
This large celebration in Downtown Fort Lauderdale includes “over 100 performers presenting the best of Indigenous and traditional folk dance and music traditions,” along with sugar skull face painting, craft booths and their annual Skeleton Processional.
5. Los Angeles, California
From Oct. 25 to Nov. 2, the Olvera Street Día de los Muertos festival has everything from outdoor ofrendas to entertainment and face painting. Their nightly program also includes a Novenario Procession, which is a with a traditional Mayan blessing and Aztec dancers.
Related: 15 Mexican Thanksgiving Recipes You’re Going to Want to Try This Year
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6. New York, New York
Mano a Mano, a nonprofit organization celebrating “Mexican culture without borders,” has a list of New York City Day of the Dead events, including one at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery that took place Oct. 25-27. It featured mariachi performances, a marketplace, workshops and more.
There are also community ofrendas from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center and on Nov. 1 at the Flatiron North Plaza.
7. San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio’s Día de Los Muertos festivities are so extensive, which makes sense; 66% of the city has Mexican ancestry according to the 2022 census.
Also, San Antonio’s Day of the Dead celebration has the largest Catrina statue in the United States, a river and Muertos Fest, which was held at Hemisfair for the 12th year in a row this year.
We went this year and attended both MuertosFest and the Day of the Dead river (we even took part in it too!). The city truly comes alive during this time and there are ofrendas throughout the city to check out.
Courtesy Alani Vargas
8. San Diego, California
Called “San Diego’s finest Día de Los Muertos celebration,” Old Town San Diego’s Día de Los Muertos festival takes place Nov. 2 and Nov. 3, 202, and includes over 40 unique ofrendas, a screen of The Book of Life and a Catrina Contest. Not to mention there’s an annual candlelit procession on Nov. 2 in Old Town San Diego.
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9. San Francisco, California
San Francisco’s Day of the Dead festivities are put on by The Marigold Project, a foundation founded by Nathaniel Rateliff that “supports community and nonprofit organizations working on issues of economic, racial and social justice.” On Nov. 2, they’ll have one of their biggest events, the Day of the Dead Festival of Altars, which showcases community-built altars, live performances, interactive art and craft stations and cultural ceremonies.
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Related: 15 Best Día de los Muertos Traditions To Help Honor Loved Ones
