When is the Day of the Dead 2024, 2025, 2026...2030

The Day of the Dead in Mexico is celebrated on November 1st and 2nd each year. November 1st, known as the 'Day of the Little Souls', is a day to remember deceased children. According to tradition, at midnight on October 31st, the gates of heaven will open and the souls of children can reunite with their families for 24 hours.

November 2nd, known as the 'Day of the Dead', is a day for commemorating deceased adults. The Day of the Dead, November 1st and 2nd, is celebrated on Friday and Saturday in 2024.

When Is the Day of the Dead in 2024?

The Day of the Dead in 2024 is to take place as usual on November 1st and continue to November 2nd. Although the festival begins on November 1st, people start the preparations several days beforehand. On October 30th or 31st, Mexicans set up altars and light candles for the Day of the Dead.

As evening descends on October 31st, families in Mexico gather together, bringing along blankets, pillows, food, and drinks to the cemetery, to keep vigil and honor their departed loved ones. They spend the night alongside the graves of the deceased, waiting for the church bells to toll 12 times at midnight, signaling the arrival of the spirits.

Where Is the Day of the Dead Celebrated?

The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is primarily celebrated in Mexico, where people hold many interesting activities, such as grand colorful parades and displaying vibrant skull decorations. Mexico City and Oaxaca have the best cultural activities for the festival. However, it is also celebrated in other parts of Latin America including Guatemala, Ecuador, and Panama, and among Mexican communities in other countries, such as the USA.

Día de los Muertos in Guatemala: Día de los Muertos also takes place on November 1st and 2nd in Guatemala. People go to cemeteries to clean tombs and decorate gravestones as well as to offer food and drinks for returning souls to enjoy. There are also other joyful celebrations, such as music, dance, and parades.

In Ecuador, the event is referred to as Día de los Difuntos, which is celebrated solely on November 1st. Celebrations are similar to those of Mexico and Guatemala.

In the USA, the Day of the Dead is celebrated from November 1st to 2nd by Mexican communities in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, San Antonio, etc. During the festival, you would see altars displayed and people dressed in colorful festival clothes with their faces painted as skulls.

Día de los Muertos celebrations in San Antonio are the largest. Celebrations usually begin on October 29th or 30th. You would see altars and cultural workshops, including mask- and flower-making activities, plus mariachis (small Mexican dance bands) and dance performances during the festival.

How Long Is the Day of the Dead?

Although Día de los Muertos formally begins on November 1st, preparations usually start on October 29th or 30th, and the festival is celebrated over a 3-day period from the evening of October 31st through to the evening of November 2nd. Some preparations for the festival may begin months beforehand.

Day of the Dead Dates for 2024, 2025, ... 2030

The dates for Día de los Muertos are the same each year: November 1st and 2nd. However, the dates of the parades in Mexico tend to differ each year, typically being on the weekend before the Day of the Dead.

When Did the Day of the Dead Start?

The origin of the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) can be traced back to approximately 3,000 years ago. Before Christopher Columbus arrived on the American continent, local people in the Mesoamerican region held similar rituals to honor the deceased. The Aztec and Nahua people, who lived in what is now central Mexico, held grand rituals to honor their loved ones each year in August.

Families would ritually offer up food, water, and other things to help the departed in their difficult journey to reach home. These practices later became the customs for the Day of the Dead, during which people leave food or other offerings at the graves of their loved ones or create temporary altars in their homes.

The modern-day celebration in November, as we know it today, has been influenced by Catholicism. In keeping with the Catholic calendar, Día de los Muertos is celebrated over a 3-day period from the eve of October 31st — the Eve of All Saints Day, or Hallowe'en.

When Is the Day of the Dead Parade in Mexico for 2024?

There are grand parades held in Mexico each year during Día de los Muertos. The parade known as the Desfile de Día de los Muertos typically takes place during the weekend before November 1st, which would be October 26–27 in 2024, and continues to the beginning of November. The exact days are to be announced.