Where to celebrate Day of the Dead in Los Angeles

Stroll the streets of Downtown San Pedro to the sounds of both traditional and contemporary Mexican folklore music during this 15th annual Day of the Dead celebration. Snack on regional Mexican fare, sip on suds in the beer garden, shop for artisan crafts and let the kiddos run around, make crafts and get their faces painted. Make sure to stop by the ceremonial altars—you can enter your own in a free competition—in addition to a community-wide altar of remembrance. The event, which regularly attracts thousands of guests, will take place at the intersection of 6th and Mesa Streets.

Peruse altars in the plaza of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument at this Day of the Dead celebration, which incorporates pre-Columbian, Aztec, Mayan and Catholic traditions. Expect plenty of festive wares from the merchants on Olvera Street, along with altars that go on display each morning and a candlelight procession every night for nine nights. Stop by during weekends for face painting (for a fee) and theatrical performances. And on Halloween, there’ll be a 5K race through the area, which you can register for here.

Explore the historical and cultural significance of Day of the Dead traditions with music, dance and food during this free celebration at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. See traditional Oaxacan dance and ballet folklórico performances, and pay your respects at the community ofrenda. The whole family can get creative with hands-on art, garden and culinary workshops—make a flower crown, paint a mask or activate your scent memory with herb bundling. You can even vote early at an on-site mobile voting center. 

Celebrate Day of the Dead at the end of Route 66 with this two-day art installation surrounding the Santa Monica Pier’s historic carousel, which will be decked out in marigolds and papel picado during the free, family-friendly event. Sunday’s celebration will start with an Aztec blessing and parade beginning at the west end of the pier—Día de los Muertos attire is encouraged—followed by a blessing of the ofrendas in the carousel building, ballet folklorico performances and live music. (Specifics of Saturday’s programming have yet to be announced.) In addition to altars made by local artist Sylvia Sanchez, there will also be a community altar, and attendees can pay tribute to loved ones who’ve passed away by sharing stories and photographs of their favorite Pier memories. This year’s event in particular pays tribute to Pedro Infante, a central figure in the golden age of Mexican cinema.

The University Park theater’s 21st annual Day of the Dead block party includes a bunch of outdoor musical performances; La Sonora Show and Banda la Fastidiosa are on the lineup, as well as Aztec dance troupe Huitzilopochtli and ballet folklórico group Sol de Fuego, plus a procession led by ceremonial dancers. Also on offer at the lively celebration are carnival rides, homemade tamales, craft booths and more. 

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts hosts its first Family Fest of the season on November 1 with a free celebration of Día de los Muertos that will teach kids about the holiday with interactive activities. Guests of all ages can hear stories from Lil’ Libros authors, build their own altars during workshops from Self Help Graphics, get their faces painted with Day of the Dead–inspired designs, listen to music from Mariachi Tierra del Sol Juvenil de Los Angeles, and learn traditional dance styles from Everybody Dance LA. Santa Monica’s Cayton Children’s Museum will pop up, too, with “Guiding Spirits With Tissue Paper Marigolds,” an activation that encourages creativity and self-expression.

SoCal’s most recognizable cemetery chain—we’re not the only ones who think it’s strange that’s a thing, right?—is honoring the dead with Día de los Muertos celebrations at four of its locations. The Glendale, Cypress, Covina Hills and Cathedral City locations all host festivities complete with altars, six-foot-tall Catrinas, hand-painted alebrijes, folklorico dance and mariachi performances—and even Bob Baker Marionette performances at the first three locations. Cathedral City hosts its celebration on the following evening, November 2 (5–8pm).

Long Beach’s Museum of Latin American Art is observing Day of the Dead with an afternoon of food, performances and festive touches. The free family-friendly festival will also host poetry-writing, face painting and sugar-skull painting for kids, a catrina contest for those who come in costume, ballet folklorico performances, and DJ Caveman spinning all day. The theme of this year’s event—which corresponds with MOLAA’s 30th anniversary—is gratitude. Entry to the museum is always free on Sundays, so be sure to head inside to check out the latest art exhibitions, too.

Downey’s annual Day of the Dead celebration returns to the city’s center, where over 25,000 guests are expected. The sprawling free festival typically features art exhibits by Latinx artists, crafts, face painting, a chalk walk, live entertainment across three stages, food trucks and a beer and wine garden. Kids can enjoy storytimes and puppet shows, and decorate their own sugar skulls. And, of course, there are altars: Besides a community altar, you’ll find altars displayed on and in classic cars, a pet altar and shoebox altars.

For a Day of the Dead day trip, head to Catalina Island for its art and history museum’s eighth annual celebration of Día de los Muertos. Bring the family for a colorful celebration of life and death with live music and performances, kids’ art projects, local food vendors and tequila tastings for the grown-ups. The free event is popular, so they ask that you RSVP ahead of time.

Boyle Heights–adjacent gallery and community center Self Help Graphics & Art has presented this Day of the Dead celebration for over half a century. And though its brick-and-mortar location is currently under renovation until 2027, SHG will still stage its annual tradition outside of the gallery as it prepares for its homecoming. The event will begin with a procession at Mariachi Plaza (1:45pm), where Danza Azteca Chicomecoatl will lead an animated procession to the nearby arts center, which will host a big outdoor block party with local food and craft vendors, altars, face painting, drop-in workshops and live entertainment—including sets by Los Lobos, La Santa Cecilia and Chulita Vinyl Club LA. Look out for some themed, family-friendly art workshops in the lead-up to the event, too, at the East L.A. County Library (Oct 24, 31: noon–3pm).