An ancient tradition in Mexico and other Latin American countries, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a time to remember and honor deceased loved ones. The holiday continues to evolve, but common elements of many celebrations are handmade altars with offerings to the dead, marigolds, pan de muerto (Day of the Dead bread), sugar skulls and La Calavera Catrina — an elegant skeleton wearing a flowery hat. You can immerse yourself in the culture at these events taking place across Dallas-Fort Worth. Check event websites for schedule changes and other updates, and visit Go See DFW to find even more Day of the Dead events.
‘DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS: A LOVE LETTER FOR THE DEPARTED’
FREE - The Bath House Cultural Center’s 37th annual Day of the Dead exhibition, curated by Enrique Fernández Cervantes, features altar installations and works in a variety of media by about 70 artists.
Continues through Nov. 4 at the Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Drive, Dallas. Free. bathhouse.dallasculture.org.
DENTON’S DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL
FREE - The community festival is a mashup of Halloween and Día de los Muertos starting on Oct. 27 with a pine box derby race. On Oct. 28, Day of the Dead activities include a costume contest, coffin races and a lantern-lit twilight parade. All are invited to bring a special object to place on a community Flight of Souls altar.
Oct. 27-28 (check the website for event schedule) at East Hickory and Industrial streets in downtown Denton. Free. dentondayofthedeadfestival.com.
CELEBRACIÓN DEL DÍA DE MUERTOS
FREE - The celebration at the Bachman Lake-area Crown Hill cemetery has expanded this year, running on select dates from Oct. 27 through Nov. 5, with Mayan dancers Grupo Pakal, mariachis, art activities, and food and beverage vendors. The art installation “La Ceiba: The Sacred Tree of Life” by artist Ricardo Alarcón will be on display each day. In Mayan mythology the ceiba tree is the link between the worlds of the living and the dead. Presented by Hughes Family Tribute Center.
Oct. 27-Nov. 5 at Crown Hill Memorial Park and Mausoleum, 9700 Webb Chapel Road, Dallas. Check the website for event and performance times each day. Free. dayofthedeaddallas.com.
DALLAS DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
FREE - A cultural festival on City Hall plaza marks Día de los Muertos in downtown Dallas. The event will feature live music, concessions, and arts and crafts activities. A parade from 7 to 8 p.m. begins and ends at City Hall. A Catrina contest takes place at 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 28 from 2 to 10 p.m. at Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla St., Dallas. Free. facebook.com/ddlmusa.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS FESTIVAL
FREE - Indoor and outdoor festivities at the Latino Cultural Center include music, dancers and craft workshops throughout the day. Works by local artists and Day of the Dead altars will be on display in the galleries.
Oct. 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Latino Cultural Center, 2600 Live Oak St., Dallas. Free. lcc.dallasculture.org.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS IN FORT WORTH
FREE - Artes de la Rosa hosts a parade through Fort Worth’s historic Northside neighborhood starting at 10 a.m., followed by a festival in Marine Park. Activities include mariachis, ballet folklorico, opera, face painting, food vendors, arts and crafts stations and more. Traditional Día de los Muertos costumes are encouraged.
Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Marine Park, 303 NW 20th St., Fort Worth. Free. diadelosmuertosfortworth.org.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS AT THE FORT WORTH BOTANIC GARDEN
A floral carpet made from 46,000 marigolds will be rolled out on the Rose Garden stairs as part of the garden’s Día de Los Muertos observance. The marigold carpet will be bordered by 300 hand-painted bricks, and an altar will be displayed nearby. Guests are welcome to bring mementos honoring their loved ones to add to the altar. Also on view are two trajineras, decorated boats commonly seen in the floating gardens of Xochimilco near Mexico City, and a calaca, or skeleton figure, covered in gomphrena plants from the garden.
Oct. 28-Nov. 2, daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth. $12 for ages 16-64, $10 for ages 65 and older, $6 for ages 6-15, free admission for ages 5 and under. fwbg.org/events/dia-de-los-muertos.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS CELEBRATIONS AT TAQUERIA LA VENTANA
The taco shops will celebrate Day of the Dead at all five locations with music, face painters, an all-day happy hour and a people’s choice altar contest. Wear a Catrina costume for a chance to win a gift card (all locations except Cedar Springs).
From open to close on Oct. 28 at 3847 Cedar Springs Road, Dallas; Nov. 2 at 1611 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 109 S. Main St., Mansfield, and 4180 Belt Line Road, Addison; and Nov. 3 at 920 S. Harwood St. (in the Farmers Market), Dallas. taquerialaventana.com.
FESTIVAL DE CALAVERA (FESTIVAL OF SKULLS)
FREE - Hosted by the Oak Cliff Coalition for the Arts, the outdoor celebration in West Dallas includes music, dance, calaveritas or satirical skull poems, ballet folklorico and mariachis. Find a souvenir in the Day of the Dead market and dance to a DJ from 8 to 10 p.m. As an added treat, festivalgoers are invited to help break the Guinness World Record for Largest Day of the Dead Altar by bringing a photo of a loved one or other ofrendas to add to the huge altar. In keeping with the festival theme of Illuminate the Path, a light show over the bridge starts at dusk.
Oct. 29 from 2 to 10 p.m. at the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge and Felix H. Lozada Sr. Gateway, 3118 Gulden Lane, Dallas. Free. oakcliffart.org.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS CONCERT
Maurice Cohn conducts the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in an evening of traditional Latin American music including the Suite from Coco and Arturo Márquez’s Conga del Fuego Nuevo and Danzon No. 2. There will be family-friendly festivities and a display of decorated altars. KXAS-TV (NBC5) and Telemundo reporter Alicia Barrera hosts.
Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. at the Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., Dallas. Tickets start at $35. dallassymphony.org/productions/dia-de-los-muertos-2023.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS IN GARLAND
FREE - A celebration at the Granville Arts Center features live entertainment by Los Matachines, Mexico 2000, and Garland ISD mariachi and folklorico groups. There will be food trucks, bounce houses, an artisan market and the judging of the Catrina contest. Guests are invited to place a 4-by-6-inch copy of a loved one’s photograph on the community altar inside the Granville Arts Center.
Nov. 1 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at 300 N. Fifth St. in historic downtown Garland. visitgarlandtx.com/dia-garland.
‘RECUERDOS’
Opera Arlington presents a Day of the Dead musical celebration inspired by the art of Mexican printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada, who designed the original Calavera Catrina. Soprano Judith Rodriguez, mezzo-soprano Lauren Salazar, tenor David Mejía Jr. and rising opera stars of the Dallas-Fort Worth area will perform. Admission includes entry to the museum’s “José Guadalupe Posada: Legendary Printmaker of Mexico” exhibition, wine and charcuterie.
Nov. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Arlington Museum of Art, 201 W. Main St., Arlington. $45. operaarlington.com/recuerdos.
DAY OF THE DEAD AT MERCER BOARDWALK
FREE - The new entertainment-dining destination in Farmers Branch celebrates its grand opening with a Day of the Dead party. There will be sugar skull stilt walkers, a calavera face painter and a Day of the Dead altar. Guests can sample food and beverages from Boardwalk restaurants from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Party band 80s Mix Tape will play on the outdoor stage starting at 6:30 p.m.
Nov. 2 from 5 to 10:30 p.m. at Mercer Boardwalk, 1980 LBJ Freeway (at Luna Road), Farmers Branch. Free. mercerboardwalk.com.
The Go See DFW calendar is a partnership between KERA and The Dallas Morning News.
Norma Cavazos writes about fun things to do in Dallas-Fort Worth for The Dallas Morning News.