Celebrate Dia de los Muertos and remember loved ones who have passed at these San Antonio events

SAN ANTONIO — Another MuertosFest may be in the books, the vendors and various altars departed from Hemisfair, but that was just the start of San Antonio’s Dia de los Muertos festivities. 

Even more celebrations are set to unfold across the city this weekend, complete with fashionable catrinas, ofrendas and activities for families to remember loved ones who have died. Dia de los Muertos typically lasts from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 each year. 

Here’s how you can mark the occasion this year. 

Taking a cue from the spookiness of Halloween, a San Antonio food writer who moonlights (pun intended) as a paranormal investigator will lead participants on a tour of “one of the city’s most haunted districts,” complete with gourmet snacks. It all kicks off with cocktails at Cellar Mixology, which may or may not make it easier to believe you’re encountering a spirit from another dimension later on… 

When: Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 
Where: St. Paul Square (1142 E. Commerce St.)
Cost: $45 entry fee

Alebrijes are a central element of Dia de los Muertos, representing spiritual guides and often taking the form of fantastically colorful animals. At the Briscoe, those 21 and over will have the chance to paint their own acrylic alebrije while sipping wine, in a session led by international artist Gio DiZurita. Snacks will be provided, as will the materials you’ll need. 

Afterwards, you’ll be able to take home your own creation and add it to your ofrenda. 

When: Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
Where: Briscoe Western Art Museum, Jack Guenther Pavilion (210 W. Market St.)
Cost: $20 for members, $35 for non-members (21-plus only)

Downtown’s Historic Market Square will host this annual party featuring live music and local vendors. Visitors will also be able to tour the many colorful ofrendas set up at the plaza by San Antonians honoring the dead. 

When: Festival from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; ofrendas set up through Monday. 
Where: Historic Market Square (514 W. Commerce St.) 
Cost: Free

Ofrendas, Dia de los Muertos-themed characters, a festive atmosphere, mariachi performances—Six Flags Fiesta Texas says you’ll be able to find it all at its own celebration. The park says it’s inviting guests to “celebrate life, remembrance and the cultural heritage that makes this tradition so special.” 

When: Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. 
Where: Six Flags Fiesta Texas (17000 Interstate 10 West)
Cost: Included with park entry 

Another major San Antonio attraction is incorporating the heritage of Dia de los Muertos into its October programming, complete with “colorful calaveras, alebrijes, traditional music and an altar to honor loved ones.” 

When: Daily through Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
Where: SeaWorld San Antonio (10500 Sea World Drive) 
Cost: Free with park entry

The city’s World Heritage Office is organizing a Dia de los Muertos event in conjunction with the historic Missions, planning a family-friendly day of live music, face painting and a screening of the animated Tim Burton movie “Frankenweenie.” The drive-in screen will also feature a slideshow of San Antonians’ family members who have passed. 

When: Saturday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
Where: Mission Marquee Plaza (3100 Roosevelt Ave.) 
Cost: Free

The open space outside the Spurs’ practice facility on the northwest side is trading the NBA watch parties for an event where families will be able to indulge in sugar skull cookies and sweet bread while perusing vendors’ wares and getting their face painted. 

When: Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 
Where: The Rock at La Cantera (1 Spurs Way)
Cost: Free

The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is preparing to host its 30th annual Dia de los Muertos celebration featuring community altars, a mesmerizing tapete artwork created by community members and a procession San Antonians are invited to join. Thursday, Oct. 30, is the deadline for families to send photos of their loved ones to ofrendas@esperanzacenter.org so they’re included in the community ofrenda. 

When: Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
Where: Rinconicta de Esperanza (816 South Colorado)
Cost: Free 

In the culture of Dia de los Muertos, monarch butterflies are said to be the souls of our ancestors returning to visit. The Main Plaza Conservancy is inviting San Antonians to come and design their own butterfly to adorn the trees growing outside downtown’s San Fernando Cathedral, backdropped by music and the “glow of the cathedral and twinkling lights.” 

When: Saturday, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
Where:  115 N. Main Ave. 
Cost: Free

The Pearl district will feature plenty of things to see this weekend, including large-scale installations, hands-on workshops and “culinary experiences that evoke the spirit of Dia de los Muertos.” It’ll all be capped off with a communal procession through the Pearl starting at 7:15 p.m. Sunday. 

When: Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 
Where:  The Pearl district
Cost: Free

The DoSeum is inviting San Antonio families to participate in a Day of the Dead-themed edition of its inclusive “Beyond Limits” programming. Children of all abilities will be able to dance to music, enjoy snacks, get their face painted and decorate their very own calavera mask. 

When: Sunday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 
Where:  The DoSeum (2800 Broadway)
Cost: $8

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s programming features a special remembrance for iconic San Antonio accordionist Flaco Jimenez, who died this summer at the age of 86, at the Progreso Community Gallery. 

An altar exhibit will remain on view for the entirety of November, but Sunday’s opening ceremonies will feature performances by the Guadalupe Dance Company at Plaza Guadalupe. 

When: Dance performance from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday; altars on display from Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Nov. 30
Where:  Plaza Guadalupe (1327 Guadalupe St.)
Cost: Free

To conclude the weekend’s festivities, URBAN-15 is hosting a lantern release celebration to honor those who have passed on. It will be followed by a Carnaval de los Muertos procession led by the local performing group, which calls the performance “a magical spectacle of motion, imagery, sound and color.” 

When: Sunday from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; lantern release at 6:30 p.m., procession at 7:30 p.m. 
Where:  Elmendorf Lake Park (235 Shore Drive)
Cost: Free

Centro Cultral Aztlan is marking 48 years of Dia de los Muertos celebrations with exhibits featuring ofrendas, hand-painted costumes and an exploration of the origins of the holiday. 

“This event illustrates the artistic, cultural, and religious facets of this popular pre-Columbian Mexican tradition where death is seen as a natural part of life,” the organization says. “This reality is approached with humor and celebration of life.”

The celebration extends into mid-November after Sunday’s opening reception, scheduled to start at noon. 

When: Nov. 3-6, Nov. 10-13, from noon to 6 p.m. daily
Where:  Centro Cultural Aztlan (1800 Fredericksburg Road)
Cost: Free