Mexico prepares for major Day of the Dead cultural festivals in 2026

Mexico is preparing for several major cultural celebrations centered on Day of the Dead traditions in late 2026.

In Mexico City, the tenth edition of the Festival de Café, Chocolate y Pan de Muerto will take place on October 24 and 25, 2026. The event is moving to a new venue at the Tecnológico de Monterrey campus in Tlalpan. This free festival will feature over 100 proposals, including regional coffee, artisanal cacao and chocolate, crafts, and various gastronomic offerings.

Additionally, the state of Guanajuato has been named the Guest State for the 20th Festival de Tradiciones de Vida y Muerte Xcaret. Scheduled for October 30 through November 2, 2026, at Parque Xcaret in Quintana Roo, the festival will showcase Guanajuato’s cultural heritage through 127 artists, 78 performances, and various workshops and installations. The celebration highlights indigenous festivities that were inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.