Though Día de los Muertos, or The Day of the Dead, is traditionally observed on November 1 and 2, with those dates falling squarely in the middle of the work week this year, many organizations will begin celebrations this weekend. Texans looking to mark the holiday will have opportunities over the next week to attend performances, participate in events, and see Día de los Muertos-inspired art. Find a list of upcoming events, separated by city, below.
Viva la Vida Festival & Parade
Austin
Mexic Arte Museum
Viva la Vida 2023 Festival & Parade
Saturday, October 28, Noon to 6 p.m.
100-200 blocks East and West 4th St.
Mariposa Plaza will be filled with hands-on art activities and artist demos, traditional foods, a Muertos Mercado with local artists and retail booths, a low-rider exhibition, live performances and more! At Noon, the parade will gather on 6th St. between I-35 Southbound Frontage Rd. & Red River St and it will travel on West 6th St. to the festival location on 4th St. and Congress Ave.
Corpus Christi
Día de los Muertos Festival Corpus Christi
Saturday, October 28, 3 p.m. to Midnight
Now in our 16th year, the Día de los Muertos Festival has become one of Corpus Christi’s most popular events. We present live entertainment on three stages: Latin-influenced rock & pop music, Mariachis, Ballet Folklorico and cultural dancers, youth performers, local DJs, and regional up-and-coming bands. The event also includes an Hecho a Mano Art Expo, Kids’ Activities, Ofrenda display in the Ritz Theater, art exhibitions and demonstrations, food, drinks and more. K Space Contemporary hosts a fine art exhibition of thematic works, a Youth Art Exhibition and youth piñata contest for area K-12 groups called Extravagancia de Piñatas.
Dallas
Latino Cultural Center
Saturday, October 28, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join us for our Annual Día de los Muertos Festival. Stop by for craft workshops with Semillitas Book Club, face painting, performances on the stage, our altares exhibition, a vendor market including food vendors and more. Vendor Market curated by Hecho con Amor.
Fort Worth
Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts at the Rose Marine Theater
Día de los Muertos Parade and Festival
Saturday, November 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Come join us for a day filled with Hispanic culture and family fun at the Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center for the Arts 20th Anniversary Día de los Muertos – celebración de vida y cultura. The community parade kicks off at 10 a.m. at the intersection of north Main St. and Central Av. and heads north towards the Historic Rose Marine Theater.
Bring lawn chairs and find a spot at Marine Park for all the Festival activities which begin at noon and close at 5 p.m. Visit the vendors, enjoy great food, and treats and experience wonderful performances from the Fort Worth Opera, the Cliburn in the Community, Ballet Folklórico Azteca, Ballet Folklórico de Fort Worth, Baraja de Oro Band, Mariachi’s, and our own Artes Academy.
MECA’s Día de Muertos Festival
Houston
MECA’s Día de Muertos Festival: Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Future
Saturday, October 28 and Sunday, October 29, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
1900 Kane St.
Join us on our tree-lined and art-filled campus of the historic Dow School, in the Old Sixth Ward–the historic part of the Washington Avenue Arts District.
For 23 years, MECA’s Día de Muertos Festival has been a public celebration of community folk-art traditions that commemorate family and community ancestors. In the spirit of the popular Latin American holiday, we invite each and all of you to partake in this joyful celebration of the family, friends, and loved ones who passed away, as well as rich traditions and customs surrounding the Día de Muertos and similar practices in other cultures.
La Vida de los Muertos at Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.
San Antonio
Briscoe Western Art Museum
Community Ofrenda and Crafts: Celebrating Día de los Muertos in the West
Ofrenda: October 5 through November 2
Art Sessions: October 28, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In celebration of Día de los Muertos, the community is invited to participate in the Briscoe Museum’s Community Ofrenda honoring influential figures in Western art and the American West, as well as the museum’s late namesakes, Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe. Everyone is welcome to add photos of lost loved ones and personal offerings to help celebrate their lives.
Learn about the art traditions behind papel picado, then create and paint a calaverita – “little skull” – with local artists at the Briscoe’s Día de los Muertos celebration. Artist Renée Letapi-Gamez will lead painting calaveritas while artist Kathy Trenchard will lead an informal discussion and work with two classes to demonstrate the craft of papel picado.
Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
Community Altars
Thursday, November 2 through Friday, December 2
Galeria Guadalupe, 723 S. Brazos
An exhibit of altars, decorated with ofrendas, lined up with bright yellow marigold flowers and photos of the departed, created by San Antonio community members and area school students.
La Vida de los Muertos – A Día de los Muertos Community Celebration
Thursday, November 2, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Plaza Guadalupe, 1327 Guadalupe St
This dance performance brings to life various characters that explain the tradition and significance of Día de Los Muertos through music and dance. The performance features the Guadalupe Dance Company, Dance Academy and Mariachi Academy. The public is encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs to enjoy this outdoor, free performance. The dance performance is free, funded by the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture, Texas Commission on the Arts and AARP.
