Celebrated throughout Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a multi-day holiday in which families and friends gather to pay tribute to those who have died in hope of helping them continue their spiritual journey. While this notion sounds grim to those not familiar with the tradition, Day of the Dead is considered a day of celebration, and Puerto Vallarta comes alive—no pun intended—with a variety of activities that you will not want to miss.

Altars

It is customary for families to visit cemeteries during Day of the Dead to be with their loved ones. Quite commonly, folks will decorate graves with favorite foods, beverages and photos of the departed in an attempt to make their souls come back for a visit. This provides excellent photo ops at Puerto Vallarta’s cemetery, but one should be mindful of the fact that even though the celebration is joyful, maintaining a respectful distance from family gatherings is a sensible idea.

Altars don’t only take place at cemeteries, however. Many local shops, restaurants and art galleries install their own altars, sometimes dedicated to their loved ones, and other times to popular icons. Puerto Vallarta’s Department of Tourism organizes altar competitions in public spaces, such as Parque Hidalgo, Parque Lázaro Cárdenas and the outside hallways at City Hall. Whether you choose to enter the competition or simply visit the altars, you will get a unique glimpse at this very traditional Mexican celebration.

Parade

The City of Puerto Vallarta also organizes a traditional parade called La muerte está viva (Death is Alive) along the Malecón in which visitors and locals are encouraged to participate. The parade takes place on Saturday, November 2, starting at the 5 de Diciembre Cemetery and continuing all the way to City Hall. 

It is quite common for folks that walk the parade to wear catrina or skull makeup and this year, Casa Cupula will not only participate in the parade; all guests are welcome to join the celebration! If you are staying with us, Casa Cupula will sponsor makeup and transportation to the parade for all guests that want to join us!

Two Films to Consider

If you want to get a taste of Day of the Dead before arriving in Puerto Vallarta, watch the 2015 James Bond film, Spectre, which starts with a Day of the Day parade in Mexico City. In reality, no such parade existed, but due to the popularity of the film, Mexico City authorities now organize an annual parade along the city’s Paseo de la Reforma and the Centro Histórico. Another film to consider is Pixar’s 2017 animated feature, Coco, about a 12-year-old boy named Miguel who is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead, where he seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather to return him to his family among the living and to reverse his family’s ban on music.