Día de los Muertos may be celebrated across the United States, but few places celebrate this Mexican holiday like Texas. Here, the Day of the Dead has kept its Mexican roots while embracing the Texan community. The holiday, which focuses on honoring family and friends who’ve died and helping them on their spiritual journey, has found new life in Texans’ lives.
“This holiday really resonates with people. It’s not just a festival,” says Michelle Smythe, executive director of K Space Contemporary in Corpus Christi. “There’s that spiritual part to it — the reunion with deceased loved ones that makes it something special.”
Smythe is just one organizer behind the many Día de los Muertos events that occur across Texas. While there are consistencies — the build- ing of altars, music and dance, and, of course, the remembrance of loved ones lost — each celebration is unique to its city. In fact, statewide, how people participate in Día de los Muertos is just as colorful and varied as the famed sugar skulls from the holiday itself.
Austin
While the capital city boasts an array of Día de los Muertos festivities to choose from, Viva La Vida Fest, put on by the Mexic-Arte Museum, is the largest and longest-running celebration in Austin. The event is packed with artistic offerings. “For us the holiday is a celebration of the arts,” says Mexic- Arte development associate Paloma Mayorga.
This year, the festival, scheduled for Oct. 28, will draw special attention to Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, known for her self-portraits, and honor her memory through a float and related exhibits. Admission to the event is free, and with food, artist demos, live music and a Grand Procession to top it all off, the celebration should do its heritage justice.
Houston
In a city as diverse as Houston, it’s no surprise the Lawndale Art Center exhibits over 250 interpretations of contemporary Mexican folk art for its Día de los Muertos celebration.
Chock-full of art and good will, the Houston festivities honor its living community by working with at-risk and low-income schools to educate students about Mexican culture.
San Antonio
For San Antonio, even if you don’t go seeking out Día de los Muertos, there’s a high probability you’ll find it anyway. With processions through- out the city, along with thousands of people in traditional dress and live music, honoring the dead feels a lot like celebrating life here.
If you’re looking for a specific event to plan for, Día de los Muertos at La Villita will run Oct. 28 and 29 with free workshops for children and the largest open-altar exhibition in the city.
Lubbock
A relatively young festival in only its third year, the Día de Los Muertos Celebración embraces its youthful reputation. “The youth and the kids are a significant part of this event,” says festival organizer Christy Martinez-Garcia. “It instills the hope that they’ll continue on these traditions.”
While the festival does offer a children’s area that boasts cultural art projects and a cake- decorating contest sure to appease any small sweet tooths, activities for all ages abound. A best-decorated car contest, traditional and mod- ern music and local artists are just a few of the options available to guests.
The Celebración will be held on Oct. 29, and entrance is discounted if you come in costume. “The best part is that we get to showcase culture,” says Martinez-Garcia. “Our main mission is strengthening families and building communities.”
Denton
Denton’s Day of the Dead proves it’s another city unafraid to embrace its varying cultural traditions. Here, you’ll find sugar skull makeup on celebrants as they run through the pumpkin patch or participate in the salsa cook-off.
There’s really no shortage of things to do, and while most of it is uncommon to Día de los Muertos practices, who can say no to a coffin race?
Corpus Christi
Celebrating its 10th year of the Día de los Muertos festival, the fun keeps growing. Originally taking up just one block, Corpus Christi’s Day of the Dead celebration now spans 10 days, and festival organizers don’t shy away from filling that new space with new ideas.
“I think what keeps visitors coming back is that we’re adding something new every year,” says organizer Michelle Smythe. “We also involve so much of the community in the festival itself.”
This year, that means inviting ballet folk- lorico dancers, lucha libre wrestlers and 24 food vendors to come out and make this the largest celebration in Corpus Christi to date. Alongside a piñata competition and live music, Del Mar College will also join for the third year to unveil
a special architectural project honoring Day of the Dead. However, to know what the surprise project will be, you’ll have to come out to the free event Oct. 28 and see for yourself.
El Paso
One of the only festivals in the state to honor the Mexican tradition that places Día de los Muertos in the cemetery, El Paso combines the spooky with the sacred with ghost tours and fortune tellers.
Exhibits and altars are also set up to give more insight into the holiday and the ancestors it honors. Surrounded by loved ones of years gone by, the community at this Day of the Dead celebration is palpable and welcoming for any guest who wishes to participate.
Port Isabel
Día de los Muertos gets its Rio Grande Valley representation in Port Isabel. Here, the traditions of the Day of the Dead and Halloween appear to blend and create a mash-up festival full of fun and culture.
“In Mexico, Día de los Muertos is a very private event,” says Valerie Bates, marketing director of the City of Port Isabel. “Here, we’ve turned it into more of a community gathering.” This blending of cultures and people is celebrated with a costume contest, food, dance, and cultural exhibits at the local Treasures of the Gulf Museum.
