The Day of the Dead – Día de los Muertos in Spanish – is a traditional Mexican holiday generally celebrated November 1-2 each year.

During this period, families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a joyous reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.

The roots of Day of the Dead go back some 3,000 years to pre-Columbian Mesoamerican rituals performed by the Aztec, Maya, Nahua and other native peoples who viewed death as a natural part of the circular journey of life. The Roman Catholic traditions of Mexico’s Spanish colonizers – including All Saint’s Day (Nov 1) and All Soul’s Day (Nov 2) – later blended with indigenous rituals to create a hybrid holiday.

Today, Day of the Dead has become a widespread spiritual, cultural and commercial celebration across the U.S. – including in Grand Rapids, where more than 60% of the city’s Hispanic population is of Mexican heritage.

Public Day of the Dead celebrations in Grand Rapids started modestly with small altar-building workshops and gatherings more than a decade ago. Since then, the city has hosted Day of the Dead walking processions, museum exhibitions and more.

Here are some ways to celebrate Day of the Dead 2026 in Grand Rapids.

Day of the Dead Celebrations in Grand Rapids

A 30-minute drive from Grand Rapids, the Holland Museum Día de los Muertos Celebration at Holland Armory is a free, family-friendly event featuring student-made community ofrendas, dance performances, music, food trucks and face painting. Hosted in conjunction with Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP). Oct 24 from 11:30am-2:30pm.

Downtown GR’s Chicago Beef Joint restaurant is hosting a themed Día de los Muertos event featuring DJ Money Mike on Oct 31. According to Mexican tradition, the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31.

Día de los Muertos at City Built Brewing is a day of music, food, culture and community honoring and celebrating loved ones who have passed. Bring a photo of someone you’d like to remember and add it to the community ofrenda (altar). There will be an outfit and face painting contest, sugar skull face painting and more. This family-friendly event will be held outdoors on Mason Street, next to City Built Brewing and across from downtown GR’s Canal Park. Free admission. Nov 1 from noon-7pm.

Reyna Garcia: Día de los Muertos is the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s annual Community Ofrenda. Guests are invited to bring a photograph, small object or handwritten note to place on the altar created by local artist and activist Reyna Garcia. Garcia has dedicated this ofrenda to the memory of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant and father who died earlier this year after being shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Houston, Texas. Reyna Garcia: Día de los Muertos runs from Oct 21-Nov 8. The Museum is also offering a Drop-In Studio on Oct 17, 24 and 31, during which visitors can craft tissue-paper marigolds to take or place on the Community Ofrenda.

Between Worlds: Where Memory Lives is a juried and community art exhibition inspired by the themes and spirit of Día de los Muertos. Featured works include painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, installations and two community ofrendas. See it at DeVos Place from Oct 9-Nov 21, open 8am-5pm daily. Free admission.

La Catrina, a 9-foot tall mosaic depicting a ubiquitous character associated with Day of the Dead, was created by local artist Arturo Morales Romero for ArtPrize 2026. Made entirely from indigenous seeds, beans and grains, it is on display at the Grand Rapids Downtown Market through Nov 2. The exhibit also includes El Altor, a 10-foot Aztec calendar made from seeds and beans, and a traditional Día de los Muertos altar inviting the community to add their own offering for lost loved ones.

Day of the Dead 2028

Día de los Muertos may be woven more deeply into Grand Rapids culture in the years to come, as discussions are underway to host a community Day of the Dead celebration in downtown GR’s new Amway Stadium. The soccer venue opens in 2027, but the first Day of the Dead event would be hosted in fall 2028 to ensure the stadium is running like clockwork before launching such a large-scale event, which could include parades, food, beverages, retail stands and Day of the Dead altar competitions. Stay tuned!

Day of the Dead Symbols and Meanings

As you participate in local Day of the Dead events and activities, look for these cultural symbols, traditions and items:

  • Ofrendas (Altars): In-home or public altars decorated with photographs, candles and personal items to welcome spirits.
  • Cempazúchitl (Marigolds): Bright orange and yellow marigold flowers whose vibrant color and scent are believed to guide souls to the altars.
  • Calaveras (Skulls): Artistically decorated sugar skulls or skeleton figures (calacas) that represent the cycle of life and death with joy rather than fear.
  • Pan de Muerto: Traditional "bread of the dead," a sweet, fluffy bread often shaped or decorated with bone-like patterns.
  • Papel Picado: Delicate, brightly colored cut-paper banners that represent the fragility of life and wind.

While they’re celebrated around the same time, Day of the Dead and Halloween are two very distinct holidays. Halloween in Grand Rapids is about fun, fantasy and frights. Day of the Dead is about love, gratitude and joy. We invite you to celebrate them both in Grand Rapids!