Dia de los Muertos at Mission San Luis Rey

Dia de los Muertos is a traditional Mexican holiday stemming from an Aztec festival titled Mictecacihuatl that used to take place hundreds of years ago. Today, this holiday honors friends and family members who have passed by presenting them with favorite foods, intricate altars, sugar skulls, and colorful shrines. By remembering and respecting the dead, people hope to welcome the spirits so that their prayers and love can be received.

By celebrating the interaction between life and death, this holiday transforms death into a warm and cheerful commemoration of the continuation of life. The largest celebration of this sort in San Diego will be taking place on Sunday, October 30th from 10am to 4pm at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, a National Historical Landmark known as “King of Missions”.

This free community event will feature tons of music and dancing, including time-honored and satirical dances such as the Rubios and Chilolos, mariachi bands, local ballet folklorico dancing groups and Aztec entertainers. A traditional parade (called the Comparsa or Muerteada) will be acted out with customary characters for everyone’s entertainment. In addition, this festival will showcase over 75 different vendors, delicious food and an unbelievable low-rider display from the Siempre Car Club, complete with customized trunk altars.

In honor of the dead, 24 elaborate altars constructed by Oaxacan families and local college groups containing special offerings will be available for viewing upon the Heritage Lawn. A chalk cemetery will allow visitors to tribute the deceased by designing a memory square with supplies such as marigolds and candles. Traditional Dia de los Muertos art will be set up throughout the event by featured artists including David Lozeau, Erica Villareal and Loris Escalera. In addition, a live art demonstration by David Lozeau will take place.

For those wishing to learn more about the cultural elements, a personal tour by Carlos VonSon will take you deep into the history and influences of this holiday. The event is entirely family friendly and many kids’ activities are scheduled to take place including handmade crafts, a bean bag toss competition and a mini-carnival.

Mission San Luis Rey is located at 4050 Mission Avenue in Oceanside. Learn more at sanluisrey.org.

Insider Tip: Maria Maria is hosting a Dia de los Muertos Celebration on November 2nd. Get details here.

Discover more San Diego fall events and follow our San Diego lifestyle blog