Mexico City Day of the Dead parade draws over 1.6 million attendees

More than 1.6 million people attended the tenth Grand Day of the Dead Parade in Mexico City, according to official figures from the city government. The event took place on Saturday, October 31, 2026, and began at 2:00 p.m.

The parade started at the Diana Cazadora and traveled along Paseo de la Reforma before ending at the Zocalo. More than 4,000 participants took part, organized into 47 projects including citizen comparsas, musical groups, artistic collectives, and institutions.

“In Mexico City, even death dresses in life. Here we have joy, memory, tradition, and roots.”

The procession featured 12 allegorical floats and two monumental balloons. It also included catrinas, mojigangas, giant figures, and musical bands representing different regions of Mexico and other countries.

The celebration honored figures who left a mark on Mexican culture, including Juan Gabriel, Juan Rulfo, Nellie Campobello, and Emilio “El Indio” Fernández. Notable entries included “Ajolote, guardian of memory,” “The baker with the bread,” “Cempasuchil on the conservation land soil,” “Abasto de Animas,” and “Altarcito: Mexico blooms in the memory of its childhood.”

Music was provided by groups such as Búhos Marching Band Mexico, Ollín Marching Band, Batalá Mexico, and the Batucada of the capital’s Culture Secretariat. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada attended and said that in the city, even death dresses in life.

The city government organized the event through its Culture Secretariat. Officials described the parade as an expression of joy, memory, tradition, and roots.