Day of the Dead is coming up. Here are some celebrations happening across the Sacramento area
Sacramento is getting ready to celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, with a variety of events throughout the week.
The holiday, with origins in Mexico and dating back thousands of years, honors the lives and legacies of loved ones who have passed away. Typically observed on Nov. 1 and 2, Day of the Dead traditions include building ofrendas — altars adorned with food, mementos, and personal belongings of the deceased — and visiting their gravesites.
Here are some of this year’s Día de los Muertos festivities in Sacramento.
Souls of the City
The 13th annual Souls of the City festival will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. this Saturday at the Old Sacramento waterfront. Known as the city’s largest Day of the Dead event, the free celebration features a procession led by Maquilli Tonatiuh Aztec Dancers.
Attendees are also join in sugar skull workshops, enjoy traditional altars, and watch live music performances.
Northgate Park Celebration
The Gardenland Northgate Neighborhood Association and Mayor Pro Tem Karina Talamantes will hold a free event from 2 to 8 p.m. this Saturday at Northgate Park in North Sacramento.
Expect ballet folklorico, mariachi performances, community altars, and a screening of Pixar’s “Coco” — a film that centers on the holiday.
North Natomas Regional Park 5K Run
North Natomas Regional Park will host a 5K run in honor of Día De Los Muertos from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2. The race is open people to all ages and abilities, with a course that will loop around the park.
Costumes are encouraged and registration fees vary.
St. Mary’s Church
Sacramento’s oldest Day of the Day celebration continues from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.
Now in its 49th year, the free event includes a procession, Catholic Mass, and an Indigenous ceremony with Aztec dancers. It was started in 1975 by the Royal Chicano Air Force, a Sacramento-based art collective pivotal to the Chicano movement.
A community ofrenda will be available at the event and attendees are encouraged to contribute old photos to the altar.
Children’s Museum
The Sacramento Children’s Museum will offer families the opportunity to design and decorate calaveras de azúcar, or sugar skulls, as part of its two-day celebration of the holiday. The free events, held on Nov. 1 and 2, will feature a community ofrenda, pan de muerto from a local bakery, face-painting and craft stations.
Registration is required to decorate the skulls and cost $10.
El Panteón
The annual El Panteón de Sacramento runs from Nov. 1 to Nov. 3 at the Latino Center of Art and Culture. Visitors can expect live music, performers, marigolds — iconic flowers of the holiday — and a candlelit cemetery with family altars.
Admission is $5.
History Museum
The Sacramento History Museum is offering a bilingual Día de los Muertos exhibit through Nov. 10, highlighting the contributions of early Sacramento leaders. Visitors are encouraged to leave messages for their loved ones.
Ticket prices for the museum range from $6 to $10 depending on age.
This story was originally published October 24, 2024 at 10:17 AM.
