Each fall, families across Mexico and beyond gather to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a time to honor the memory of loved ones who have passed. The centuries-old holiday, rooted in Indigenous customs, welcomes the souls of the departed back to the world of the living through offerings of food, music, and art. Altars bloom with marigolds, sugar skulls, and favorite dishes, all symbolizing that death is not an end but a continuation of life’s cycle.
In Southern California, that same spirit of remembrance shines through local festivals and community gatherings. From cemetery celebrations to seaside ceremonies, here are 10 ways to experience Día de los Muertos this year.
(Photo by Chris Delmas / AFP)
Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Each year, thousands gather at Hollywood Forever Cemetery for its deeply moving Día de los Muertos celebration. The historic cemetery transforms into a sea of color and culture, with more than 50 altars honoring loved ones, Aztec ritual performances, live music, arts and crafts, and an array of food vendors serving traditional Mexican meals. This year’s 26th annual event will be divided into three sessions, with the later ones featuring a screening of Disney Pixar’s Coco and a drone show.
When: 1 p.m.–1:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 (three sessions: 1–3:30 p.m., 4:30–9 p.m., and 9:30 p.m.–1:30 a.m.)
Where: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles
Information: ladayofthedead.com
(Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos
The free, week-long event features community-built ofrendas, live music, dance performances, art installations, and family-friendly activities. From Oct. 25–Nov. 2, the park becomes a colorful sanctuary where Angelenos can honor loved ones and celebrate cultural heritage. The festivities begin with Grand Ave Arts: All Access on Oct. 25, and conclude with Noche de los Muertos on Nov. 2, an evening filled with lanterns, music, dance, and a mercado.
When: 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Oct. 25–Nov. 2; opening celebration Oct. 25, Noche de los Muertos Nov. 2
Where: Gloria Molina Grand Park, 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles
Information: eventbrite.com
(Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Downey Día de los Muertos Festival
Downey’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration transforms the city’s civic center into a lively, art-filled festival drawing more than 25,000 visitors each year. The free, family-friendly event features seven art exhibits by Latino artists, live entertainment, a chalk walk, food trucks, and a beer and wine garden. Children can enjoy storytimes, puppet shows, and sugar skull–decorating stations, while guests can explore dozens of unique altars — from classic car displays to pet and Dodger blue–themed tributes. It’s a vibrant community celebration that beautifully blends creativity, remembrance, and tradition.
When: 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2
Where: Downey Theatre, 8435 Firestone Blvd., Downey
Information: ddlm.downeytheatre.org
(Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
Día de los Deftones at Petco Park
For an edgier twist on Día de los Muertos celebrations, San Diego’s Día de los Deftones festival returns for its sixth year at Petco Park. Hosted by the Grammy Award–winning band Deftones, the single-day event brings together a lineup of artists across two stages, including Clipse, Rico Nasty, Deafheaven, and more. Fans can catch performances both on the field and in Gallagher Square.
When: 3:45 p.m.–11 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1
Where: Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., San Diego
Information: Ticketmaster.com
(Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Día de los Muertos at the Santa Monica Pier
Celebrate Día de los Muertos by the sea at the end of Route 66 as the Santa Monica Pier transforms into a two-day art installation. The historic carousel will be decorated with marigolds and papel picado, setting the scene for a weekend of music, dance, and culture. Saturday’s festivities begin with an Aztec blessing and parade along the pier, followed by ballet folklorico performances, live music, and a blessing of the ofrendas inside the carousel building. Guests can also contribute to a community altar and view installations by local artists Sylvia Sanchez and Yolanda Medina.
When: 3–10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2
Where: Santa Monica Pier, 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica
Information: Free for attendees. santamonicapier.org/diadelosmuertos
Historic Downtown Upland’s Día de los Muertos Festival
Historic Downtown Upland’s Día de los Muertos Festival will celebrate life, culture, and tradition. Attendees can celebrate their dearly departed with a vibrant day filled with live music, local vendors, delicious food trucks, a fun kids zone, and a community ofrenda to honor loved ones who have passed. The event will also feature the city’s first “Entertainment Zone,” which allows guests 21 and older to purchase alcohol from downtown restaurants and bars and walk through the festival with their drinks. The free, family-friendly event will feature colorful decorations, festive entertainment, and rich cultural experiences.
When: Noon- 10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1.
Where: Historic Downtown Upland, 305 N 2nd Ave., Upland.
Information: Free. uplandchamber.org.
Día de Los Muertos at Bowers Museum
The Bowers Museum is hosting a family-friendly celebration at its Key Courtyard to honor beloved family, friends and pets who are no longer with us. The event will feature celebratory activities that evoke joy, including music, dance, and traditional foods. Guests are invited to bring a photo for the community ofrendas and enjoy performances by Mariachi Anacatlán, Relámpago del Cielo, Los Cuates, Xipe Totec, and Joel Aceves.
When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2.
Where: Bowers Museum, 2002 N Main St, Santa Ana
Information: Free. bowers.org.
Riverside Day of the Dead
For the first time ever, the Day of the Dead celebration in Riverside will happen for two days in a row. The event will feature art, Aztec dancers, ofrenda altars, food, a Catrina pageant, live music, lucha libre and car altars. The free, family-friendly event will take place on Market Street between University Avenue and 14th Street.
When: 1-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2.
Where: White Park, 3936 Chestnut St., Riverside.
Information: Free. riversideca.gov.
Día de los Muertos Festival on Olvera Street
Olvera Street and its merchants have celebrated Dia de los Muertos for nearly 40 years. Over its course on the iconic Los Angeles street, the celebration has evolved to incorporate pre-Columbian, Aztec, Mayan and Catholic rituals surrounding death. The nine-day celebration from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2 features a vibrant, colorful nightly procession ceremony, showcases community altars, and offers weekend entertainment.
The procession leads to a nightly ceremony at the Kiosko, where the loved ones of a merchant family or a special community member are chosen to be honored. The novenario procession offers a traditional Mayan blessing/soul cleansing, Grupo Tartalejos (an indigenous Aztec group leading the procession with incense and ceremonial blessing), Aztec dancers, “living muertos (where participants dress up as skeletons), and offers sweet bread and beverages to all in attendance. Sugar skull or calavera makeup face painting is available on Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 1-2.
When: 6 p.m. during the week and 11 a.m. on the weekends from Oct. 25-Nov. 2.
Where: Olvera Street, 45 N Alameda St., Los Angeles.
Information: olveraevents.com.
Lucha Vavoom de la Liz celebrates Día de los Muertos
For the first time, Lucha Vavoom is celebrating Día de los Muertos with a new show at its new home at the Fox Theater Pomona. Lucha VaVoom’s 21-and-older event often incorporates burlesque, standup comedy, aerial acts, and classic lowriders, making it more than your standard professional lucha libre show. Guests can expect a special Catrina contest, live music, tequila, and a mix of Latin American foods available for purchase. Attendees can also arrive early to enjoy Downtown Hasta La Muerte, a Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebration in Downtown Pomona. The free celebration, from 5-10 p.m., will feature art galleries, car shows, music, performance stages, beer gardens (21+), food, vendors, and more.
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8.
Where: The Fox Theater Pomona, 301 S Garey Ave., Pomona.
Information: $60.90-$127.85 at luchavavoomdelaliz.com.