Celebrate Día de los Muertos
around Phoenix and beyond
Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a Mexican holiday that honors loved ones who have passed away.
It brings the community together and pays respects to departed friends and family members. Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life, and the events in Arizona incorporate many of the traditions, including processions, displaying altars, and showcasing the calaca with sugar skulls, skeleton masks and sculptures.
Here are some of the Día de los Muertos celebrations, festivals and ceremonies throughout Phoenix and the rest of the state.
Ofrenda Exhibit at Desert Botanical Garden
A key aspect of the Day of the Dead is the ofrenda set up to pay respects with pictures, decorations and favorite food and drinks. This year’s theme is: “Alebrijes y La Muerte.”
Details: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 25-26 and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 27-Nov. 6. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. $24.95-$29.95; $12.95-$24.95 for ages 3-17; free for members and children under 3. 480-941-1225, dbg.org/exhibits/ofrenda-2019/.
Día de los Muertos Festival at Mesa Arts Center
This festival features a huge community altar display where people can place frames or other important mementos. The family-friendly event will include music, food, over 50 vendors in the Mercado Marketplace, face painting and flower making, live painting by muralists and more.
Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. Noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. Free. 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com/ diadelosmuertos.
Día de los Muertos Phoenix Festival
Have your face painted, decorate sugar skulls, make a mask, shop the mercado, leave a memento on the ofrenda and take part in the sunset procession at this family-friendly event. See the website for parking locations or take the light rail if you can.
Details: 1-7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. Free. diadelosmuertosphx.com.
Día de los Muertos display
As a part of Día de los Muertos festivities, the museum displays the creative work of Wickenburg High School students. The display features ofrendas and ceramic sugar skulls.
Details: Oct. 28-Nov. 3. Desert Caballeros Western Museum, 21 N. Frontier St., Wickenburg. $12, $10 for seniors, free for children 17 or younger. 928-6842272, westernmuseum.org.
Día de los Muertos Festival
The celebration will be held at the cemetery for people to pay respects to loved ones and become involved with the traditional aspects of the holiday. Check out the food trucks, altars, salsa contest, live entertainment and more.
Details: 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. Goodyear Farms Historic Cemetery, 3900 N. Santa Fe Trail, Avondale. Free. facebook.com/events/goodyear-farms -historical-cemetery/11th-annual-dia -de-los-muertos-festival/ 627619501095907.
Día de los Muertos Celebration
Embrace the different aspects of the holiday and join the Desert Botanical
Garden in its celebration. There will be a mercado, live performances and kidfriendly activities. Each day from 5-6 p.m. there will be La Procesión, or the procession, in the garden.
Details: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 2-3. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. Free with paid garden admission. $24.95-$29.95; $12.95$24.95 for ages 3-17; free for members and children under 3. 480-941-1225, dbg.org.
Día de los Muertos festival
The sixth annual event at St. Mary’s Basilica is anticipating 10,000 festivalgoers. It features local artists, food trucks and more.
Details: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3. St. Mary’s Basilica Plaza, 231 N. Third St., Phoenix. Free admission with a canned food donation. 480-833-5875 or 602-354-2100, saintmarysbasilica.org.
Tucson: Chiles, Chocolates and Day of the Dead
If the name of the event didn’t pique your interest, then be sure to stop by to see the festivities for yourself. There will be chocolate and chiles, of course, as well as spicy Latin music, personal ofrendas and a community altar.
Details: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Oct 25-26. Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte, Tucson. $15, free for kids 12 and younger. 520-742-6455, tohonochul.org/chiles-2019.
Tucson: Feast with the Dearly Departed
As the Day of the Dead approaches, there will be an ofrenda set up to place frames or other important mementos. The family-friendly event will include music, food and more.
Details: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tuscon. $15, $8 for children. 520-326-9686, tucsonbotanic al.org/event/feast-with-the-dearly -departed.
Tucson: All Souls Procession weekend
This year’s theme is “In the Realm of the Unseen,” so expect plenty of interesting costumes and masks throughout the weekend. The elaborate procession includes the ceremonial burning of a large urn and a 2-mile march expected to have 150,000 people.
Details: Friday-Sunday, Nov. 1-3. 267 S. Avenida del Convento, Tucson. Procession marchers gather at 4 p.m. Sunday at Grande Avenue south of Speedway Boulevard. Free. allsoulsprocession.org.
Sedona: Día de los Muertos celebration
The annual event features fire dancing and a traditional ofrenda for the community to contribute to. The celebration features music and food and Day of the Dead costumes are strongly encouraged.
Details: 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. 336 State Route 179, Sedona. Free. 928282-4838, www.tlaq.com/events.