Día de los Muertos 2027
Two nights a year the dead come home for dinner.
Countdown to Día de Muertos 2027
Dates
When is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos 2027 falls from Sunday, 31 October 2027 to Tuesday, 2 November 2027.
Fixed dates every year: 31 October to 2 November, with 1 and 2 November the core days.
Date checked against timeanddate.com
| Year | Dates | Length | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 31 October – 2 November 2026Sat – Mon | 3 days | Past |
| 2027 | 31 October – 2 November 2027Sun – Tue | 3 days | Confirmed |
See every festival by date in the 2026 festival calendar and 2027 festival calendar.
The story
What it is, and why it matters
- Type
- Spirit & Ancestry
- Tradition
- Christian
- Where
- Mexico City, Valley of Mexico
- Crowd
- Millions nationwide
- UNESCO
- Inscribed intangible heritage
An ofrenda is a shelf of evidence. Photographs, the dead person's favourite bread, a glass of water for the walk, marigolds to guide them in.
November 1 is for the angelitos — children who died young, with toys and sweets on the altar. November 2 is for adults, and the graves get visited, swept, and then eaten beside.
Mexico City's parade arrived in 2015, prompted by a James Bond film, and has since become one of the largest in the Americas. The city's cempasúchil markets begin in mid-October and sell out by the 28th.
Culture
Traditions, food and music of Día de Muertos
Traditions
What actually happens
- Ofrenda — a tiered altar of photo, water, salt, copal and the dead person's food.
- Cempasúchil paths — marigold petals laid from the grave to the front door.
- Calaveritas de azúcar — sugar skulls, eaten, not merely displayed.
- La Catrina — Posada's 1910 etching, now the festival's definitive silhouette.
Food
The table, widened
- Pan de muerto, aniseed bread glazed and bone-shaped, baked only in this window.
- Mole, tamales and chocolate de agua served on the grave so the meal is shared.
Music
Sound of the crowd
Mariachi at gravesides, son jarocho in Veracruz, and marimba in Chiapas. The repertoire is nostalgic rather than celebratory — 'La Llorona' and 'Cucurrucucú' recur on every stage.
Religion
Why this date
The dates are Catholic — All Saints and All Souls — but the structure is Mexica. Miccailhuitl, the Aztec feast for the dead, was celebrated in the eighth month and was simply moved onto the new calendar rather than replaced.
History
How it survived
UNESCO inscribed the tradition on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2008, specifically citing the indigenous-African fusion in the observance. Commercialisation arrived quickly afterwards; the parade, the face paint industry and the tourism boards followed within a decade.
History
How it got here
UNESCO inscribed the tradition on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2008, specifically citing the indigenous-African fusion in the observance. Commercialisation arrived quickly afterwards; the parade, the face paint industry and the tourism boards followed within a decade.
c. 1500
Miccailhuitl
Aztec feast for the dead held in the eighth month of the ritual year.
1910
La Catrina
José Guadalupe Posada's zinc etching satirises those who ape European manners.
2008
UNESCO
The indigenous observance is inscribed as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
2015
The parade
Mexico City stages its first official Day of the Dead parade for a Bond film.
Travel & practical
Visiting Mexico City for Día de Muertos
Getting there
MEX airport, 5 km east of the centre. Metro Line 5 runs direct to Terminal Aérea.
Where to go
Mixquic for the graveyard-alight ceremony; Pátzcuaro for the lake-side vigils; Xochimilco for the canal offerings.
Practical notes
Book hotels by August. Bring a small gift if invited to a family altar — never photograph an altar without asking.
Plan the trip with free AltFTool tools
FAQ
Día de los Muertos: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask most about Día de los Muertos.
Is this the Mexican Halloween?
No. It is a memorial feast with a different emotional register — humour and grief in the same room, and no trick-or-treating.
What do the levels of the altar mean?
Traditionally two tiers: heaven above, earth below. Seven-tier altars are a more recent devotional convention.
Can visitors attend a vigil?
Yes, at Mixquic and Janitzio. Candles are provided; bring a coat, the lake gets cold after midnight.
Also in October 2027
You might also like
Other spirit & ancestry and christian festivals.
Run a festival site or travel blog?
Find places to list your event and earn links in our free backlinks directory.