Celebrate Día de los Muertos events across the Lone Star State with plenty of traditional and unique festivities. (Knightstorm Productions)
Día de los Muertos—also called Day of the Dead—events are in abundance across Texas. We’re highlighting some of the best for the perfect celebration.
Scholars can’t quite agree on the exact origins of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Some believe Indigenous Mexican or Aztec cultures introduced the customs to the world, while others think the Spanish carried it with them as part of the Hallowmas season. What we do know is that Día de los Muertos grew in popularity across Mexico, and that’s broadened to its neighbor in Texas.
Día de los Muertos honors family and friends who have died. Rather than a mournful, somber remembrance, the holiday encourages happy memories with vibrant costumes, stunning altars, and plenty of arts and good eats. While Día de los Muertos is typically on November 1 and 2, the Lone Star State keeps the celebration going for much longer.
So, get your ofrendas ready and be sure to pack a few sugar skulls for the journey. Here are eight of our favorite Día de los Muertos events across Texas.
San Antonio: La Villita, Day of the Dead parade, and the Calaverita 5K
Multiple events around San Antonio. Day of the Dead Parade is Oct. 24; the Calaverita Run is Oct. 25
Nearly two-thirds of San Antonio’s residents identify as Hispanic, and there are tons of Día de los Muertos events throughout the city. The main attraction is the Day of the Dead Parade on Oct. 24, which features over two dozen floats cruising along the River Walk to honor the symbols and traditions of the holiday. The artisan village La Villita gets fully decked out in holiday decor, and this year, it’s home to the largest Catrin and Catrina in the United States.
Get even more immersive with a Pan de Muerto class to learn the history and techniques of baking Day of the Dead bread. Or, put on your running shoes and take part in the city’s first-ever Calaverita Run on Oct. 25. Participants can rock painted faces and calavera and catrina costumes, and runners are encouraged to bring a photo of a departed loved one to place on the community altar at the finish line.
El Paso: Día de los Muertos Desfile & Festival
Main celebration: Nov. 1, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; other events throughout October
The main celebration of El Paso’s Día de los Muertos Desfile & Festival takes place on Nov. 1, the official start of Day of the Dead. This year’s theme is Alebrijes, the bright, colorful Mexican folk art sculptures showcasing fantastical creatures. The Día de los Muertos parade is over a mile long and includes over 60 floats, ballet folklorico performers, musicians, and community organizations. The El Paso Artisan and Farmers Market is a way to support local artisans, and the Food Truck Placita is the perfect spot for some antojitos.
However, if one day doesn’t feel like enough, El Paso has several hands-on events throughout October leading up to the holiday. Local artists are leading Día de los Muertos classes in embroidering, candle-making, and amaranto skull creating to add flair to ofrendas. You can also make your own Catrina crowns and festive T-shirts or indulge in Pan de Muerto classes, including special varieties like negro (from activated charcoal) and iluminados (with edible UV light reactive icing). And on Oct. 25, you can attend perhaps the greatest gathering of all: Dia De Los Doggies at the El Paso Museum of Archaeology.
Corpus Christi: Community ofrenda, art exhibitions, and the Extravagancia de Piñatas
Nov. 1, 3 p.m. to midnight
On Nov. 1, Corpus Christi’s downtown will transform into one of the most festive Día de los Muertos celebrations in Texas. Over 10,000 people visit the community ofrenda display, with altars built by artists, youth groups, and other participants in the greater Corpus Christi region. There will also be live music throughout, so don’t be shy about joining people dancing along to the tunes as you admire the festivities.
“Admire” is the keyword here, because Corpus Christi has so much impressive art on hand. A youth art exhibition will feature works around the theme of “Arbol de la Vida (Tree of Life),” and the Extravagancia de Piñatas is a collection of smashable beauty. Additionally, over 85 vendors are selling handmade creations, so you can take home a memento to commemorate a fantastic celebration.
Marshall: Celebrate Día de los Muertos
Oct. 30, 5 to 8 p.m.
Toward the state’s eastern edge, Marshall is combining Día de los Muertos events with the best part of Halloween. The Michelson Museum of Art is hosting the 8th annual Día de los Muertos gala with art and music, catrinas, candy, and traditional bread (so come hungry). CASA of Harrison County’s Trunk-or-Treat will be dishing out goodies to kids in costume, and the museum has a vibrant display of altars and Mexican masks on display through Nov. 1. The celebration is family-friendly and free, which is just a delightful combination.
Because Marshall’s celebration is on a Thursday night, this trip could include one of our favorite Texas adventure explorations: a hunt for Bigfoot. Caddo Lake State Park is about a 20-minute drive from Marshall, and people have claimed to see the creature wandering the lake.
Canton: Día de los Muertos Family Art Day
Nov. 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Canton is a small town about an hour east of Dallas, but it has a big personality. That’s on full display at The Art Parlor, which is hosting the city’s Día de los Muertos Family Art Day. The free event is open to all ages and skill levels and brings the different motifs across the holiday to life.
You’ll learn how to make Day of the Dead flowers, get a sweet rush by crafting your own sugar skulls, and embrace the traditional costumes and makeup of the holiday. The Art Parlor will also have educational activities and stories to share more about the holiday and the history behind some of its classic elements, such as the community ofrendas. If you’re a fan of getting hands-on and walking home with some collectible (and edible) souvenirs, this is a dream.
Austin: Viva La Vida
October 25, 12 to 6 p.m.
The Viva La Vida Festival and Parade is in its 42nd year, making it the largest and longest-running Day of the Dead event in the state’s capital. This year’s special section is the “Flores de la ofrenda,” featuring five flowers that represent the beauty, fragility, and cyclicality of life and death.
The Mexic-Arte Museum currently has an exhibition centered around a poem from Peru’s Blanca Varela called “En lo más negro del verano.” That exhibition intertwines with the Día de los Muertos events. Viva La Vida’s Procession parade marches down 6th Street and brings a vibrant weirdness to Austin, with an abundance of costumes, dancers, floats, and props. And the Muertos Mercado highlights nearly two dozen artists, vendors, and makers, each putting their unique spin on the holiday.
Fort Worth: Celebración de Vida, Arte y Cultura
Nov. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Artes de la Rosa is throwing the 22nd installment of its Día de los Muertos celebration, and it’s a full day of culture and traditions. This year’s festivities kick off with the annual parade, spanning 1.3 miles along Main Street and Central Avenue as it heads towards the Fort Worth Stockyards. That’s followed by a festival at Marine Park, featuring a variety of artistic and interactive events, including face painting, mariachis, opera, ballet folklorico, and more.
The Día de los Muertos Community Art Exhibit will also be on display from Nov. 1 to Nov. 16, highlighting works of art from individuals and groups identifying as Latino, LatinX, or Latine. Admiring the gallery is the perfect pairing with the main celebration, but it’s also lovely that visitors can still stop by afterward.
Dallas: Celebración del Día de Muertos
Nov. 2, 5 to 8 p.m.
Looking for events that are more local to DFW? The Fort Worth Parade is a great option, or you can head to Crown Hill Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Dallas for the Hughes Family Tribute Center’s Celebración del Día de Muertos. The event started in 2014 with a gathering of less than 100 people and has grown into one of the most robust festive celebrations in the city. It’s free to attend, and Ricardo Alarcón’s Alebrijes: Spirit Animals Art Exhibition will be viewable from Oct. 18 to Nov. 2.
The event will also feature other artists, including Anel Anaya’s Alfa de las Catrinas and Carolina Imperial, who will be participating in Mexico Canta and recently won New Artist of the Year at Rome’s Catholic Music Awards. Grupo Pakal will also perform Mayan dance presentations, and art activities will be available alongside food, drink, and crafts vendors. Put your costume skills to the test, too—a Catrina Contest is offering cash prizes, including a cool $500 for first place. Just think of how many treats and art supplies you could get!
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Related: Haunted houses, ghost tours, & other spooky experiences in DFW
