Fun Festivities for Celebrating Day of the Dead in NYC
Distinct from Halloween, honor the sacred Mexican holiday of Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, at these citywide events until Friday, November 4.
With festivities that often span from October 27 to November 6, Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead—which lands on Wednesday, November 2 this year—is a Mexican holiday honoring the spiritual afterlife of those who have physically passed.
Tracing its origins back thousands of years to the Indigenous cultures of the Aztec and Mexica peoples of Mexico, this sacred observance is rooted in joy and includes a special emphasis on the importance of family. Distinct from the spooky and haunted themes of Halloween, Day of the Dead also revolves around the notion of the heavens opening up to allow deceased loved ones to visit the land of the living once a year.
Now celebrated across Latin America and in pockets around the world, traditional practices include welcoming back spirits by placing photos, candles, marigolds, food, drink, and more at ofrendas and tombstones. In addition, the holiday is also honored in many major cities (like Mexico City, Los Angeles, and San Antonio) through revelous events like parades, artistic exhibitions, parties, and street fairs.
Seeing how our city is proudly home to a thriving Latino community, there are plenty of ways to enjoy this year’s holiday across the boroughs. From holiday-themed cruises along the Hudson to impressive arts programming hosted by Rockefeller Center, here are fun ways to celebrate Day of the Dead in NYC this year.
Saturday, October 29, 12 pm–2 pm and 3 pm–5 pm
FiDi
Since 1994, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian has been a hub for the history and deeper understanding of Indigenous peoples from the earliest times to present day. This year, the museum honors the Indigenous peoples of Mexico and Day of the Dead with a special performance around the museum’s community altar by the Aztec dance troupe, Cetiliztli Nauhcampa. After the performance, visitors can check out ongoing exhibits like Native New York, which explores the First Peoples of our region and provides an ideal resource for learning more about NYC’s Indigenous culture.
Cost: Free for entry
Saturday, October 29 to Wednesday, November 2
Sunset Park
Spearheaded by the accessible art production space of ArtBuilt, which houses the creative workshops of more than 100 local artists and small businesses, head over to the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park for five days of community-based Day of the Dead programming. First up, on Saturday, October 29, join the team and other New Yorkers in constructing a massive ofrenda with tissue paper marigolds and photo frames. Then, through Wednesday, November 2, drop by for live performances including a Jaguar Dance with Tecuanes San Rafael and traditional mariachi music by the Chihuahua-based Mariachis Nuevo Sol.
Cost: Free to participate
Through Friday, November 4
Midtown
For the second year—and in collaboration with The Consulate General of Mexico in New York City, the Mexican Cultural Institute, Museo de Arte Moderno, and more—Rockefeller Center hosts a month-long celebration honoring Mexico’s culture and heritage. At Mexico Week: Día De Muertos at Rockefeller Center, check out an opulent ofrenda; jaguar and skeleton sculptures by Mexican artist Cesar Menchaca; and a posthumous art exhibit dedicated to the Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada. Additionally, running until Wednesday, November 2, peruse an open-air market featuring handmade goods, tequila drinks, and food vendors run by local businesses like La Contenta and La Newyorkina.
Cost: Free for entry
Tuesday, November 1, 6:30 pm–9:30 pm
Pier 81
Hop aboard the tri-level, floating restaurant/bar of La Barca Cantina for an evening of offshore revelry at their first ever Day of the Dead event. With the purchase of a ticket, guests will embark on a two-hour cruise along the Hudson River that includes live DJ sets, traditional Mexican dance performances, and art vendors including the local favorite of La Sirena. Food- and drink-wise, the menu will feature specialty Day of the Dead-themed cocktails and Mexican-inspired bites.
Cost:Tickets from $25
Saturday, October 29, 12 pm–4:30 pm
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Located within Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the 50-year-old Queens Museum is home to one of the Big Apple’s most popular museum spectacles: Panorama of the City of New York. After checking it out, stop by for a Dia de Los Muertos Celebration in partnership with the La Jornada and Queen Museum Cultural Food Pantry and the Ecuadorian Film Festival in New York. The event provides guests with exclusive film screenings, musical and dance performances, artmaking activities, and a chance to contribute to the ofrenda. Highlights include a poetry reading by POÉTICAS—a poetry collective composed of creatives from Mexico, Ecuador, and Peru—as well as a mariachi show from Nuevo Amanecer.
Cost: Free for entry
Sunday, October 30, 1 pm–6 pm
Bed-Stuy
At the Day of The Dead-Indigenous Ancestral Festival in Brooklyn, the mission is to promote respectful tourism, community growth, and emerging entrepreneurship in New York City and across the world. Led by local initiatives including the donation-run artist group of Collective Focus, here, community members gather for a welcoming and inclusive day of educational workshops, positive socializing, good eats, dancing, and musical productions.
Cost: Free for entry
Wednesday, November 2, 12 pm–4 pm
Flatiron
From the neighborhood-enhancement organization of Flatiron NoMad Partnership comes the first ever Día de Muertos Celebration at Flatiron Plaza. At the afternoon festivities, watch a dance performance by the Clapulli Mexican Dance Company and also participate in hands-on activities like decorating sugar skulls, printmaking, and taking a selfie with a depiction of La Catrina—the afterlife icon of Day of the Dead created by artist José Guadalupe Posada—courtesy of the Fotografiska museum. Also, guests can contribute flowers, bread, and fruit to the on-site community altar.
Cost: Free for entry
Through Wednesday, November 2
Nolita
Every year, the popular hotspot, The Garret Coctelería, transforms itself into an impressive holiday-themed immersive experience called Coctelería de los Muertos. Within the pop-up, expect an interior featuring intricate altars and hanging strings of marigolds along with specialty offerings like libations such as Barry Marigold (tequila, carrot juice, agave). Dishes by chef Yuval Ochao (Borrachito Taqueria & Spirits) include Pork Belly with Black Mole and Pan de Muertos and on Tuesday, November 1, and Wednesday, November 2, pull up to the colorful bar for revelrous parties and late-night DJ sets. Reservations are encouraged.
Cost: Free for entry