Traditions connected with the holiday include honoring the deceased using calaveras and marigold flowers known as cempazúchitl, building home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, and visiting graves with these items as gifts for the deceased.

Day of The Dead 2023

The Day of the Dead (Spanish: Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed, and is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. Although related to the simultaneous Christian remembrances for Hallow tide, it has a much less solemn tone and is portrayed as a holiday of joyful celebration rather than mourning. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.

See more photos of The Day of the Dead from past years.

The celebration is not solely focused on the dead, as it is also common to give gifts to friends such as candy sugar skulls, to share traditional pan de muerto with family and friends, and to write light-hearted and often irreverent verses in the form of mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends and acquaintances, a literary form known as calaveras literarias.

Altars (ofrendas)

During Día de Muertos, the tradition is to build private altars (“ofrendas”) containing the favorite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear the prayers and the words of the living directed to them. These altars are often placed at home or in public spaces such as schools and libraries, but it is also common for people to go to cemeteries to place these altars next to the tombs of the departed. Mexican marigold is the traditional flower used to honor the dead.

Schedule for November 1 and 2

Plans for the day are made throughout the year, including gathering the goods to be offered to the dead. During the three-day period families usually clean and decorate graves; most visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and decorate their graves with ofrendas (altars), which often include orange Mexican marigolds (Tagetes erecta) called cempasúchil (originally named cempōhualxōchitl, Nāhuatl for ‘twenty flowers’). In modern Mexico the marigold is sometimes called Flor de Muerto (‘Flower of Dead’). These flowers are thought to attract souls of the dead to the offerings. It is also believed the bright petals with a strong scent can guide the souls from cemeteries to their family homes.

Calaveras

A common symbol of the holiday is the skull (in Spanish calavera), which celebrants represent in masks, called calacas (colloquial term for skeleton), and foods such as chocolate or sugar skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls can be given as gifts to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods include pan de muerto, a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain rounds to skulls, often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones.

Organized by the municipal government through the Directorate of Tourism and Economic Development, the Vallarta Institute of Culture.

On Tuesday, November 1, at the Arcos del Malecón amphitheater, there will be more cultural activities.

On November 2, there will be a parade with Charros and their horses dressed for the occasion.

The celebration of the Day of the Dead has recently gained more interest in our country in general and in Puerto Vallarta in particular.

From the first day of activities there will be altars in the external corridors of the Municipal Palace, catrinas in palm trees and large skulls and decorations along the Malecón.

It is known that many families take their children to the Malecón to ask for sweets

Either way, it is an interesting tourist attraction. See you in November 1st.

You will find more on the “Day of the Dead” history on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead

We provide information and resources for visitors to Puerto Vallarta, areas of The Riviera Nayarit and other destinations in both states of Jalisco and Nayarit . You will find variety of content, including articles, blog posts, videos, photos, descriptions and interviews, all of which are designed to help visitors plan their trip, including attractions, restaurants, and events. https://promovisionpv.com/

Visit and Join our YouTube channel for more Puerto Vallarta – Riviera Nayarit videos: https://www.youtube.com/@promovision/videos