Day of the Dead Mexico City 2026: Parade Dates, Route and Expat Guide

Day of the Dead in Mexico City 2026 runs from 17 October to 2 November, with a series of parades, ofrendas (altars) and marigold decorations. The season kicks off on Saturday 17 October with the Monumental Alebrijes Parade, featuring giant fantastical creatures of Mexican folk art that march from the Zócalo to the Ángel de la Independencia and stay on display along Paseo de la Reforma until 8 November.

On Sunday 25 October, the Mega Procesión de Catrinas takes place in the evening, with hundreds of elegantly costumed skeletons parading from the Ángel de la Independencia to the Zócalo. This is the most photogenic event of the season, so visitors should arrive early and dress warmly.

The centerpiece of the Day of the Dead celebrations is the Gran Desfile de Día de Muertos on Saturday 31 October. This is the tenth edition of the parade, featuring floats, comparsas (marching bands) and giant figures honoring Mexican musical icons Juan Gabriel, Lola Beltrán and José Alfredo Jiménez, as well as pre-Hispanic death mythology and traditional folk art. The parade is free to attend and runs from Puerta de los Leones in Chapultepec Park along Reforma to the Zócalo.

The traditional Day of the Dead vigils take place over the course of two days, from 1–2 November. Families create ofrendas (altars) to honor deceased loved ones, and visit cemeteries to clean and decorate graves. The most moving experience is in Mixquic, in the southeast of the city, where the cemetery glows with candles throughout the night of 1 November.