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Dia de los Muertos old Town Albuquerque

Our Sponsors

Thank you to the Albuquerque community for such a wonderful response to the
Inaugural Dia de los Muertos Celebration in Old Town!

Tens of thousands of people visited Old Town during the week, where decorations adorned the buildings, with over 30+ free events, 25+ ofrendas, one stunning community ofrenda, and countless lives remembered.
See the Post Event Film below

Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events

Schedule of Events

Daily Features

The following features will be available throughout Old Town during the entire duration of the event.

  • Marigold Mile! See thousands upon thousands of marigolds line the beams, vigas, lights, adobe, and historic structures throughout Old Town.
  • Ofrenda Tour: See 24+ ofrendas (altars) scattered throughout all of Old Town with unique themes, decorations, and more. Wander the hidden patios and portals of Old Town and find another ofrenda hidden around the next corner.
  • Community Ofrenda: A large ornately decorated community ofrenda in the middle of the gazebo in Old Town. This ofrenda is decorated by community members and students of San Felipe de Neri Catholic School and Escuela del Sol Montessori.
  • Old Town Decorations: Wander the streets of Old Town and see papel picado, marigolds, fall colors, and more adorning the charming adobe buildings in throughout Old Town.

Saturday – October 28th, 2023
Family Day

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

Sunday – October 29th, 2023
“Day of the Tread”

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

Monday – October 30th, 2023

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

  • 12pm-4pm Paper flower/picado making, face painting, tarot reading | Tiny Grocer ABQ

Tuesday – October 31st, 2023
All Hallows’ Eve

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

  • 12pm-4pm Paper flower/picado making, face painting, tarot reading | Tiny Grocer ABQ
  • 1pm – 6pm Pop-up Florist | Luna and Luz

Wednesday – November 1st, 2023
All Saints Day

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

  • 11am-6pm Lunch on the Decorated Patio | Tiny Grocer ABQ
    • 12-4pm on the Tiny Grocer ABQ patio:
      -paper flower / picado making
      -face painting
      -tarot readers
  • 6pm-7pm Mass | San Felipe de Neri Church

Thursday – November 2nd, 2023
All Souls Day

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

  • 11am-6pm Lunch on the Decorated Patio | Tiny Grocer ABQ
  • Noon to 2pm Dia de los Muertos Workshop | Tiny Grocer ABQ
    • Noon-1pm Incense Making – $25
    • 1:15pm-2pm Taper Candle Making –  $10
  • 4pm-6pm Dia de los Muertos Celebration | Plaza Don Luis
    • Contemporary Mariachi Music by Qué Onda
    • Community Ofrenda by Augustine Romero
    • Flowers + Decor by The Turquoise Tree Flower Shop
    • Hot Chocolate + Pan de Muerto by Flying Roadrunner Bakery
    • Celebratory Dress Encouraged w/ Prizes Generously Gifted by Oaxacan Zapotec House + The Turquoise Tree Flower Shop
  • 6pm-7pm All Souls Day Mass | San Felipe de Neri
  • 7pm-8pm Matachines Traditional Dance Procession | San Felipe de Neri

Friday – November 3rd, 2023
First Friday ARTScrawl

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

Saturday – November 4th, 2023

All events take place in Old Town Albuquerque. Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

Sunday – November 5th, 2023
Dia de los Muertos

Also, you don’t want to miss the Daily Features.

No scheduled events in Old Town
We invite you to drive to the South Valley and join the “Marigold Parade & Celebration” from 12pm-4pm

  • 5:30pm-8pm Day of the Dead Bike Tour | Routes Bicycle Tours & Rentals (walkins welcome)

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Featured Vendors

Featured Vendors

Featured Vendors

Featured Vendors

Featured Vendors

Food & Drink Vendors

Featured vendors throughout Old Town featuring Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed foods.

  • Blackbird: Mexican Hot Chocolate
  • D.E.E.H’s Candles: Street Tacos
  • Flying Roadrunner: Pan dulce Nov 1 and Nov 2
  • Gobble This: DDLM themed food
  • La Choco: sugar skulls
  • New Nuevo: DDLM Biscochitos
  • Outpost 1706: DDLM themed cocktails
  • Old Town Cafe on the Plaza: sugar skulls
  • Romero St. Curry & Chai: sugar skull cookies
  • Tiny Grocer: sugar skull cookies, incense

Retail Vendors

Featured vendors throughout Old Town featuring Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed gifts, art, exhibitions, merchandise and more!

  • Blue Moon Marketplace: DDLM themed merchandise; locals 10% off on Wednesday
  • ChangeOut Jewelry: DDLM pendants
  • Christmas Shop: DDLM themed ornaments
  • Desert Bird Mercantile: Free DDLM sticker with $20 purchase
  • Lapis Room: special catrina art exhibit, Luis Contreras
  • Luna and Luz: DDLM themed merchandise & biscochitos
  • Rubber Tomahawk: DDLM themed merchandise
  • Routes: DDLM themed merchandise
  • Puzzled: sugar skull puzzles and DDLM playing cards
  • Treasure House: DDLM books
  • Whimsy: DDLM themed gifts, tea
  • Wolf Martinez Gallery: special art exhibit

Ofrenda (Altar) Map

Ofrenda (Altar) Map

Ofrenda (Altar) Map

Ofrenda (Altar) Map

Ofrenda (Altar) Map

Ofrenda Map of Old Town Albuquerque

View all of the ofrendas (altars) around Old Town ABQ. All delightfully decorated. Make sure to see the community ofrenda at the center of Old TOwn at the Old Town Plaza Gazebo where students from San Felipe de Neri School and Escuela del Sol Montessori will be building an ofrenda to remember “Mi Familia”.

About Dia de los Muertos

About Dia de los Muertos

About Dia de los Muertos

About Dia de los Muertos

About Dia de los Muertos

About Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a vibrant Mexican celebration with roots in ancient Aztec traditions and Spanish customs. Originating over 3,000 years ago, the Aztecs honored the deceased with rituals and offerings. In Medieval Europe, Spain had its own traditions guiding souls back to the living. These practices fused in Mexico, leading to a festival with altars and offerings inviting the departed to visit.

While the celebration aligns with All Saints and All Souls Day from the Catholic calendar, it’s now recognized worldwide, each region adding its unique touch.

Key elements include altars filled with favorite foods, photos, flowers, and other offerings to welcome the spirits. Marigolds, particularly their orange and yellow petals, are essential as they’re believed to warm and guide souls. The scent of marigolds and copal incense further paves a sensory path for the departed. UNESCO celebrated this rich tradition in 2008 by naming it an INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF HUMANITY.

The iconic calaveras (skulls), especially the satirical designs by Jose Guadalupe Posada in the early 1900s, symbolize both death and celebration. The ofrenda, a temporary altar, showcases the four elements: water for drinking, papel picado banners for wind, food for earth, and candles, representing fire, to guide the spirits.

New Mexico proudly embraces a deep-rooted cultural blend of Spanish, Mexican, and Native histories. This unique fusion is evident in its Dia de Los Muertos celebrations, which integrate the Catholic observances of All Souls Day and All Saints Day. Annual parades, the Matachines dance, nightly Mass, and traditional Dia de los Muertos festivities all showcase New Mexico as a vibrant cultural amalgamation.

This is why we celebrate Dia de los Muertos (the day of the dead) in Old Town Albuquerque. Old Town Albuquerque has long been the community and cultural heart of the City and of the Southwest. We invite you to join in our celebration and remembrance of life.