Día de los Muertos Family Festival

Name: Día de los Muertos Family Festival
Start: 2025-10-30T17:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-10-30T20:00:00-05:00
Location: The Grace Museum – Courtyard

October 30 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Enjoy FREE cultural festivities with activities for all ages!

This annual tradition brings the community together to remember loved ones through joyful activities and mindful celebrations. This centuries-old holiday from Mexico is now celebrated internationally, spreading vibrant cultural traditions such as sugar skulls, ballet folklorico, and fragrant ofrendas with it. The Grace’s annual festival includes crafts, calaveras, dance performances, face painting, and more!

All activities will be hosted at The Grace Museum along with our festival partners.

Dance Performance 6:30-7 pm by Ballet Folklorico del Big Country
Storytime & Crafts with the Abilene Public Library
Sugar Skulls & Paper Marigolds with The Grace Museum
STEAM activities with the Spark Science Center
Face Painting with the Center for Contemporary Arts
Crafts with the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature
Conchas provided by H-E-B Abilene
Community Ofrenda – We want this to be reflective of our community, so please feel free to bring copies of photos of your deceased loved ones to add to the ofrenda throughout the month of October. **PLEASE NOTE: Any photo or item placed on the ofrenda will be added into our Día de los Muertos collection, which will be included in the ofrenda each year. Plants and food are not allowed.**

HOLIDAY HISTORY & TRADITIONS

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday observed throughout Mexico and Central American and South American regions. The celebration emerged with Spain’s colonization of Mesoamerica as indigenous beliefs and practices adapted to Catholic ones. On November 1 and 2 each year, families and friends joyfully celebrate their loved ones who have passed. Some people commune with their ancestors in a liminal space, while others enjoy an annual remembrance of their loved ones. Common practices include setting up ofrendas – altars with the deceased’s photos and favorite things – and making the iconic sugar skulls that have become synonymous with the holiday. Calacas (decorative skeletons) adorn celebrations and Catrinas paint their faces as Día de los Muertos applies humor to what would otherwise be a rather solemn observance of the dead.