Dia de los Muertos is a highly celebrated and significant family holiday throughout Mexico, Latin America and the Southwest. Dating back 3,000 years to the time of the Olmecs, it is a day when homage is paid to our ancestors with prayers, offerings of food, and the building of altars to the beloved departed. Each region has its unique style of celebration. In Arizona, the annual Dia de los Muertos is a Celebration of Life.

Just bring your family, sun-protection,  a blanket or umbrella to make yourself comfortable on the grass. The festival admission is free, but you may also want to bring some cash since there will be a variety of food vendors and an Artist Mercado, selling their Dia de los Muertos themed creations.

La Procesión is a celebratory procession in which the audience joins the performers in a candlelit, joyful burst of music, dance and remembrance. This audience favorite concludes with a minute of silence as the sun goes down in homage to those who have gone before us ~ our dearly departed.

For the past 33 years, the founding members of Cultural Coalition have been programming Dia de los Muertos activities in Maricopa County. We are proud to utilize the arts to reflect the unique Southwestern expression of this tradition. Our celebrations have taken place all over the Valley, but we hope the festival has found its permanent home in downtown Phoenix.

The festival is free and open to the public, so just come down with your family, enjoy the performances, and be a part of the art activities and La Procesión. If you're an Artist or a Vendor, you can apply to join the Mercado. And finally, if you're feeling like giving back to your community, you could become even more involved and check out our Volunteer Opportunities. No matter what, you're bound to have an enjoyable day surrounded by your fellow Phoenicians in an unforgettable celebration of our multicultural heritage and of life itself!

 Contact Ami Rogers, Events Coordinator at mikiztli(at)culturalcoalition.com or call (480) 819-3452.