Día de los Muertos 2025: parades, ofrendas, and record crowds as the holiday begins

The vibrant, two-day observance of Día de los Muertos arrives this weekend (November 1–2), and communities across the U.S. and Mexico are already in full swing with parades, public ofrendas, and museum installations. The focus is the same everywhere: welcoming the memories of loved ones through joy, art, and ritual rather than grief—an approach that blends Indigenous traditions with Catholic observances of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.

What happens on November 1–2

Traditionally, November 1 honors children who have passed (often called angelitos), and November 2 centers on adults. Families build ofrendas—home or community altars layered with photos, candles, incense, pan de muerto, favorite foods, and bright cempasúchil marigolds believed to guide spirits home. Many visit cemeteries to clean headstones, share meals, tell stories, and, in some places, keep vigil through the night with music and candlelight.

2025 momentum: bigger parades, broader participation

This year’s holiday is notable for scale. Major cities are reporting record or near-record turnout at signature events leading into the weekend, with ticketed river parades and multi-day festivals selling briskly and community altars stretching across public plazas and parks. Organizers say the mix of art installations, dance, and live music has broadened appeal, drawing both long-time participants and first-timers who are learning the customs respectfully.

Highlights visible this week include:

• Large-format parades featuring illuminated floats, giant catrinas, and ensembles performing regional folk dances.

• Citywide ofrenda trails, where visitors stroll between dozens of altars made by schools, artists, and civic groups.

• Themed exhibits that connect remembrance to local stories—everything from honoring cyclists lost on city streets to pet memorials that invite families to celebrate beloved animals.

How to build an ofrenda at home

You don’t need elaborate materials to participate. A small table or shelf can become a powerful tribute. Consider:

• Base: A cloth or papel picado banner to set the stage.

• Memory lane: Photos and names of those you’re honoring.

• Light & scent: Candles and copal incense (or a scented candle if smoke isn’t an option).

• Offerings: Favorite foods, drinks, or small objects tied to the person’s passions.

• Marigolds: Fresh or paper flowers to symbolize the path home.

• Water & salt: Traditional elements signifying purity and refreshment for the journey.

Keep safety in mind—use battery tea lights where open flames aren’t practical.

2025 event map: where the action is

While Mexico City’s mega-parade captures global attention, the holiday’s heartbeat is equally strong across the United States. In recent days:

• Texas is hosting expansive programs, from multi-day festivals and sold-out river parades to neighborhood ofrendas that blanket cultural parks.

• California communities are unveiling museum-quality altars, with Bay Area and Los Angeles hubs staging nine-day exhibitions, theater performances, and family workshops.

• The Southwest features candlelight processions, alebrije-themed floats, and marketplace celebrations running through the weekend.

• Regional roundups across the country—stretching from the Northeast to the Gulf Coast—list dozens of free, family-friendly events with music, face painting, and hands-on craft stations.

As always, schedules can shift with weather and logistics; check local listings before you go.

Respectful participation: culture first, costume second

Día de los Muertos is welcoming, but it’s rooted in memory and ritual. A few ground rules help keep it that way:

• Ask before photographing people or private ofrendas. Community altars are often meant to be seen; personal tributes may not be.

• Avoid conflating the holiday with Halloween; the imagery overlaps in late October, but the meanings are distinct.

• Dress thoughtfully. Face paint and catrina looks are common at public parades, but let hosts set the tone—some spaces are solemn.

• Support local makers. Buy flowers, bread, and crafts from community vendors who sustain the tradition year-round.

Why this year feels bigger

Organizers point to three drivers behind 2025’s surge:

1. Community healing. Public remembrance—of family, neighbors, and local heroes—has become a shared ritual in cities navigating loss.

2. Arts investment. Grants and partnerships have scaled installations, costumes, and educational programming, drawing broader audiences.

3. Intergenerational pull. Families bring children to learn the stories behind the symbols, ensuring the holiday’s continuity.

Quick glossary for newcomers

• Ofrenda: The altar of offerings for the departed.

• Cempasúchil: Marigold flowers that symbolize the sun’s light and guide spirits.

• Calavera: A skull motif—seen in sugar skulls, makeup, and artwork—signifying the playful acceptance of mortality.

• Catrina: The elegantly dressed skeleton figure popularized in early 20th-century art, now a parade icon.

• Pan de muerto: Sweet, anise-scented bread baked for the occasion.

The takeaway

Whether you’re attending a packed parade or lighting a single candle at home, Día de los Muertos remains a living tradition powered by community. The spectacle—the music, the marigolds, the artistry—matters. But the heart of the holiday is personal: telling stories, saying names, and keeping the bond between the living and the departed bright for another year.