Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican holiday typically celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, although it has grown to include the days before and after. Families and friends gather to honor and celebrate loved ones who have died by building altars, or ofrendas, decorating gravesites, and share stories. Day of the Dead celebrations are often full of music, dance and art. Every fall, Los Angeles hosts many Día de los Muertos events for the whole family.

1. SeaWorld Spooktacular

All day, Nov. 1-3 | SeaWorld

Back by popular demand, SeaWorld Spooktacular will also include the celebration of the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos from Nov. 1 – 3. Large, beautifully dressed Catrina statues will welcome guests as they discover ofrendas (offerings) of mementos and flowers honoring loved ones who have passed. There will also be traditional food options available for purchase in the park.

2. Carved

6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Oct. 4 – 30 | Descanso Gardens

Carved is set to light up the night, transforming Descanso Gardens into a mesmerizing pumpkin wonderland filled with returning favorites and exciting new additions. Guests will enjoy strolling through the enchanting displays of luminous jack-o’-lanterns, hand-carved giant pumpkins, and whimsical installations. This year’s highlights include an expanded “Rhizome” installation by Tom&Lien Dekyvere in the Rose Garden Labyrinth and a large-scale Día de los Muertos ofrenda altar, providing a serene space for reflection and remembrance. 

3. Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos

8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Oct. 19 – Nov. 2 | Gloria Molina Grand Park

For 15 days, the park for everyone will be a unified space where visitors can explore and view a beautiful collection of altars created by professional artists and local organizations honoring their deceased loved ones and those who have fought for social justice and equity. For the first time in the park’s history, the opening weekend celebration will include a free daylong parade and festival with live music, mouthwatering concessions and engaging arts and crafts activities for all ages.

4. Dia De Los Muertos Lily “La Catrina” Martinez Makeup Workshop

1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 24 | McDonald’s

Join McDonald’s on Whittier Blvd to celebrate the vibrant traditions of Dia de los Muertos with a sugar skull makeup workshop led by Lily “La Catrina” Martinez.

Lily, whose intricate, custom-made Catrina designs have captivated fans from celebrities and the L.A. Dodgers to the thousands of Angelenos who lined up to see her costume exhibit on Olvera Street in 2023, will be leading the community workshop focused on the makeup traditions unique to the holiday.

Lily will lead two 45 minute workshops (Session 1 from 5 – 5:45 p.m./ Session 2 from 6:15 – 7 p.m.) teaching participants how to achieve the iconic Día de los Muertos makeup look.

This workshop is perfect for makeup enthusiasts, beginners, and anyone age interested in celebrating Dia de los Muertos in a creative way!

If you are reserving tickets for more than one person in your family, please make sure you reserve tickets for the same session

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before session time to check in, set you up with materials. All workshop materials will be provided. Rideshare is encouraged as parking spaces are limited at the restaurant. Enjoy delicious snacks and beverages courtesy of McDonald’s of SoCal.

Lily’s work often blends traditional Mexican culture with modern beauty trends, making her a standout influencer in the Latinx community. Her profound love for Los Angeles and Mexico is evident through the vibrant colors of makeup, traditional Oaxacan floral headpieces and modern Dodgers “Catrina” dresses.

5. Hollywood Forever’s 25th Annual Dia de los Muertos

10 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Sat., Oct 26 | Hollywood Forever Cemetary

Hollywood Forever’s 25th annual Dia de los Muertos festival is an all day event this year, with three windows of admission: 10 a.m.-2p.m., 2p.m.-6p.m. and 6 p.m.-11 p.m. The event features over 100 altars, ceremonial procession, cathedral art exhibition, children’s plaza, children’s stage, culinary vendors, arts & crafts vendors and more.

6. Día de los Muertos Celebration

2 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sat., Oct. 26 | Third Street Promenade

DTSM’s Día de los Muertos Celebration will bring the vibrant Mexican tradition of honoring life and death to the Third Street Promenade. The celebration will feature live performances from local artists, including Aztec dancers, ballet folklórico and Mariachi bands alongside interactive arts, games, crafts, face painting and a Latinx popup market curated by Molcajete Dominguero. Guests will be amazed by the towering La Catrina sculptures–standing up to 14 feet tall, new Alebrije installations and other art created by renowned Mexican artist Ricardo Soltero. Visitors can also explore community altars and vibrant art installations from VIVA LA, connecting them with the rich heritage of this cultural celebration. Soltero’s sculptures will be on display daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Friday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 27. 

7. San Pedro’s 12th Annual Día De Los Muertos Festival

3 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sat., Oct. 26 | San Pedro Historic Downtown Waterfront (PBID)

The 12th annual DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS in Downtown San Pedro will feature altar displays, live entertainment, food trucks, beer garden, craft vendors, catrina costume contest and more.

8. Forest Lawn Día de los Muertos Celebration

12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Sun., Oct. 27 | Forest Lawn – Glendale, Cypress and Covina Hills

Forest Lawn will bring traditional Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) customs to life on Oct. 27 at their Glendale, Cypress and Covina Hills locations and on Nov. 2 at their Cathedral City location. 

The community celebrations will honor the memories of the dead while illuminating the rich history of the Mexican holiday with vibrant altars, larger-than-life Catrina and alebrijes (spirit guides) art works, folkloric dance and Mariachi performances, arts & crafts, face painting, and refreshments.

9. DÍa de Los Muertos Family Day

12 p.m. Sun., Oct. 27 | LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes hosts its annual DÍa de Los Muertos Family Day. Enjoy performances in music and dance, arts and crafts, food and more. 

10. 7th Annual Día de los Muertos Days of Remembrance

10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 30 – Nov. 2 | Lincoln Heights Youth Arts Center

Lincoln Heights Youth Arts Center presents 7th Annual Día de los Muertos Days of Remembrance. Community members are invited to contribute to the public community altar. There will also be flower crowns, 3D skull masks, screen printing and more.

11. Fowler Out Loud: Mariachi de Uclatlán

6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Wed., Oct. 30 | The Fowler Museum at UCLA

Enjoy a concert under the stars in the Fowler amphitheater with Mariachi de Uclatlán and celebrate Día de los Muertos through the music of influential Mexican composers. 

12. Día de Los Muertos at Kidspace

10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Fri., Nov. 1 – 3 | Kidspace Children’s Museum

The program includes music, dance, art, and a community ofrenda where families can share memories of people and pets who have enriched their lives.  

Meet a fantastical alebrije puppet created by Kidspace artist-in-residence Ricky Chavez, a Mexican American puppeteer and puppet builder. Make a puppet of your own in the Imagination Workshop. Create a postcard in memory of a loved one and add it to the ofrenda or take it home.

13. Día de Los Muertos with Dudamel

2 p.m. – 8 p.m. Fri., Nov. 1 – 3 | Walt Disney Concert Hall

Gustavo Dudamel leads a festive exploration of Latin American music for Día de los Muertos with Villa-Lobos’ progressive tour de force and Gabriela Ortiz’s 2019 Yanga. Her work for orchestra, chorus, and percussion ensemble is characterized by its use of African instruments and colorful, multilayered rhythms. Ortiz says, “[Yanga] speaks to the greatness of humanity when in search of equality and the universal right to enjoy freedom to the fullest.” Revueltas’ film score La noche de los Mayas digs deeper into Mexico’s ancient culture brought into conversation with the modern world, bolting through thunderous, dynamic rhythms and a flute interlude based on a traditional Yucatan evening song. Within the music is what poet Octavio Paz describes as Revueltas’ “deep-felt but also joyful concern for man.”

14. First Fridays at the Museum: Día de Muertos Family Festival

6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Fri., Nov. 1 | Catalina Museum for Art & History

Catalina Museum for Art & History hosts its 6th Annual Día de Muertos Family Festival as part of its popular First Fridays at the Museum series. Families and friends of all ages are invited to celebrate this colorful Mexican tradition, which honors life and death while remembering loved ones who have passed on.

The event will feature activities for all ages, including a kids’ art project, local food vendors, tequila tasting, live music and cultural performances. A special highlight of the evening will be the 2024 Barbie Signature Collection Día de Muertos doll raffle.

Additionally, the museum welcomes creative artists to participate in the Día de Muertos Ofrenda/Altar & Art Contest, offering a chance to win cash prizes. The contest is open to artists of all skill levels.

15. Los Muertos 5k

8 a.m. Sat., Nov. 2 | Begin and Endpoint

Los Muertos 5k celebrates Day of the Dead with a vibrant 5k run or walk that takes place in Downtown Los Angeles. Thousands of families and friends gather together in a fun atmosphere to remember loved ones that have passed, in this rich cultural tradition.  

Festivities and traditions include face painting to resemble skulls, decorating altars with bright orange marigold flowers, candles, photos, and other memorabilia. There will also be an official Community Altar for participants to decorate, a pre-start purification ceremony with traditional Aztec dancers and a post-race festival, complete with mariachi bands, folkloric dance groups and stilt walkers honoring art, music, and community. 

The race starts on Main Street, in El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the oldest section of Los Angeles, and home to Olvera Street. The course runs through lower Chinatown and past the recently upgraded  Los Angeles State Historic Park. The top three runners of their genders will be awarded a unique hand-painted skull trophy.

16. Dia de Los Muertos Dance Party! with Isabel Brazon!

10:30 a.m. Sat., Nov. 2 | Children’s Book World

Baila Baila Bilingual concerts for children are an amazing energy filled interactive show. Isa plays her guitar enticing everybody to dance and have fun while learning Spanish together. The show is tailored to kids of all ages and does not limit to Spanish speaking audiences. 

17. Dia de Los Muertos

11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sat., Nov. 2 | Wallis Annenberg PetSpace

Join Wallis Annenberg Petspace as it celebrates its first-ever Dia de Los Muertos, a heartfelt day filled with colorful traditions, creative activities, and cherished memories while we honor the pets who have touched our lives. The day will include a pet altar, arts and crafts, cultural treats, photo-ops, face painting, music and more. 

18. Dia de los Muertos Block Party Festival

12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sat., Nov. 2 | West Adams

Midcity Mercado and the City of Los Angeles Council District 10 proudly announce the return of the West Adams Dia de los Muertos Block Party Festival. Now in its second year, this celebration will transform West Adams, between Spaulding Ave. and Hauser Ave., into a vibrant avenue filled with live music performances, food trucks, art exhibitions, live mural painting, a ferris wheel, and a beautifully designed community altar. Everyone is invited to contribute their photos to the altar for collective community healing and celebration. This is an all-inclusive family-friendly event for all ages. 

19. Day of Dead: Looking Toward Our Past and Future

2 p.m. – 4 p.m. Sat., Nov. 2 | Barnsdall Arts Center and Barnsdall Junior Arts Center

Join Barnsdall Junior Art Center in celebrating the Day of the Dead at the Barnsdall Junior Arts Center Gallery for their opening reception and art activities on Nov. 2, from 2 – 4 p.m.

Various artists, families, groups, and individuals will begin setting up altars next week in our gallery! The exhibit will be up Nov. 2-23.

20. Themed Vendor Markets: Dia De Los Muertos

2 p.m. – 8 p.m. Sat., Nov. 2 | 2ND & PCH

2nd & PCH’s themed pop-up markets feature unique and handcrafted vendors, family-friendly activities, live entertainment, photo ops and more.

Nov. 2 is Dia De Los Muertos hosted by Undios Community Events.

21. Dia de los Muertos Celebration 2024

4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Sat., Nov. 2 | OPAC

This year, OPAC kickstarts the festivities with a month-long Community Altar at The Collection. And then join them on Saturday, Nov. 2 for the main event at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center where you’ll immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Mexican and Filipino culture as we pay homage to our ancestors with vibrant altars, captivating traditional music and dance, and the irresistible aroma of authentic cuisine.

This unique cultural experience promises to be a poignant journey filled with colorful calacas, marigold-adorned ofrendas, and a profound sense of community. Whether you’re new to this tradition or a seasoned participant, OPAC’s Día de los Muertos celebration welcomes all to come together, honor the past, and embrace the beauty of life’s eternal cycle. 

22. Día de los Muetros Art Show and Community Procession

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sun., Nov. 3 | The Canoga Park Youth Arts Center

Canoga Park Youth Arts Center hosts their Annual Día de los Muetros Art Show, and Community Procession celebrating the artworks by local schools and students in Canoga Park Youth Arts Center’s after-school program. Drop-in for free workshops!

Community procession is from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Events coincides with the Main Street Canoga Park 24th Annual Día de los Muertos Family Festival.

23. Main Street Canoga Park’s 24th Annual Día de los Muertos Festival

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sun., Nov. 3 | The Canoga Park Youth Arts Center

This free, family-friendly cultural arts festival features free art activities, live music, installations, car show, food and community altar.

Attendees are encouraged to dress up.