Día De Los Muertos in Ciudad Mexico

Altars, ofrendas, marigolds, candles, photos, cemeteries…. Día de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a tradition with ancient roots in Mesoamerican culture. After the Spanish arrived in the new world, this tradition melded with Catholic traditions around All Saints Day. For me, this holiday feels ancient, spiritual and pagan.  It is a tradition to remember and honor your friends and family who have passed on, something I think everyone can appreciate.  Certain aspects, such as La Catrina, are even more recent, becoming associated with the tradition in the 20^th century. After this holiday was featured in popular movies such as Spectre and Coco, its global popularity has been steadily growing. Mexico is fully taking advantage of this, launching parades and other events. I was not raised with this tradition, but I love it. I love the idea of ofrendas and taking time to remember those no longer with you.  Did it feel a little touristy? Yes. Did it feel joyful and genuine? Also, yes.

I arrived in Mexico City on Halloween. I immediately began wandering the Condesa neighborhood. Families were out, kids, adults, DOGS all in costume. The cuteness factor was off the charts. I had this weird urge to bend over to all this adorableness and exclaim, “‘Ay, qué linda!” as my grandparents used to do, but those same flashbacks prevented me. I’m not that old! The whole vibe was so much fun. I admit it’s unfair to compare to Seattle since I stay in on Halloween, but the energy felt different. Many stores and restaurants not only had elaborate decorations but also had their own ofrendas honoring their own loved ones.

Saturday, i joined some local expat friends for the parade that goes along the Paseo de la Reforma, starting near Chapultepec Park and ending at the Zócalo (the main historic square.)  We were not lucky enough to get bleacher seats, but despite our poor view I could see enough. It was crowded, very crowded, but not unbearably so. (City officials say there were about 1.5 million attendees.)  Even with an obstructed view, I was able to enjoy the wonderful costumes, dancing and music. And I was able to enjoy the crowd, which was its own vibe. Such a great celebration. While the floats seemed similar after awhile, they did all feel original and on theme. No floats sponsored by the local insurance company here!  This parade was very well attended by locals. It felt like a true community event. Many, many people in attendance were in costume or face-paint, or at least wearing flowers in their hair. (I purchased a floral headband for $5.) There were the usual things you’d expect to see at a parade like this, lots of vendors for trinkets, food, and drink as well as face painting. Along La Reforma, there was also an installation of monumental alebrijes (fantastical animals). My understanding is these pieces were made and submitted by craftspeople from all over Mexico. These pieces were amazing, true works of art. Even when I moved to a restaurant for dinner, patrons kept arriving all decked out. And these all appeared to be locals, not tourists. Just being out and about, part of the community, enjoying the day was wonderful.

Sunday, I headed to the Zócolo where giant ofrendas and icons were set up. The crowd here was no joke. At times it was hard to move. But again, while there were a lot of tourists, the crowd seemed to be full of locals. The installation was comprised of a number or artistic figures with the theme celebrating the founding of Mexico-Tenochtitlán. My favorite was the one with the jaguars, of course, but I loved all of it.

Overall, being in Mexico City for Day of the Dead was a wonderful experience. Yes, there are crowds, but I recommend it. After, you will absolutely want to bring the ofrenda tradition to your own home.