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Dia de los Muertos
November 2
Processions of ornate skeleton costumes snake their way along city streets, sidewalks and plazas. Museums and galleries mount ofrendas, altar-like shrines honoring those who have passed. Families meet in cemeteries and homes for lively gatherings to remember the dearly departed.
An Ancient Ritual
Part ancient ritual, part family feast, Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead) celebration starts around Halloween and peaks during the wee hours of Nov. 2 – All Souls’ Day in Catholicism – when tradition says the souls of departed loved ones return to partake of the offerings (flowers, candles, food and drink) set out for them on ofrendas in homes and cemeteries.
A Citywide Big Celebration
But unlike Halloween, there’s nothing ghoulish or macabre about this holiday. It is, above all, a thanksgiving of family ties and togetherness, as well as an experience of the seamless continuity of life and death. Often families spend the entire night at the cemetery, enjoying their loved ones’ favorite foods and drinks after the returning spirits have had their share.
How to Take Part
San Antonio offers countless ways to participate in this colorful Mexican custom. Many local museums and galleries build ofrendas that are works of art. Among the best places to admire these glorious shrines are the San Antonio Museum of Art, Market Square, La Villita, Institute of Texan Cultures, Southwest School of Art and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.
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