Día de los Muertos in Houston: altars, parades and events

Houston is about to turn into a city of altars and marigolds. Día de los Muertos, the tradition of honoring deceased loved ones, falls on November 1 and 2, and Houston has built one of the most spread-out celebrations in the country around it. The holiday blends pre-Colombian roots with Catholic influence, and the symbols you'll see everywhere — ofrendas, cempasúchil marigolds, sugar skulls, pan de muerto, and the skeletal La Catrina — are all part of that history. Here is where to find the altars, parades and family traditions that make up the 2026 lineup.

For a full day of it, Discovery Green is the place to start. On Sunday, November 1, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm, the 12-acre downtown park hosts a community altar by artist Angel Quesada, where you can bring a photo or memory to add to the display. There is a Catrín and Catrinas parade, a costume contest, traditional performances, live music, food, and crafts, and the night closes with "La Musical Ofrenda," a tribute concert with Houston and Texas musicians. The Houston Zoo runs a parallel thread in the Museum District, with glowing decorations and a traditional ofrenda dedicated to pets no longer with us, where you can leave a photo of a cherished pet; La Catrina is on site Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and admission is included with general admission.

Families with younger kids will find the Children's Museum Houston leaning all the way in. On Sunday, November 1, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, the museum transforms into a "Land of the Dead" with skull-face painting, mini ofrenda building, papel picado workshops, a bilingual storytime at 10:00 am, and Intempo Dance performances at noon and 2:00 pm. Over at the Kemah Boardwalk, the celebration runs from 2:00 pm to 9:15 pm with live music, DJs, folkloric performances, children's arts and crafts, and sugar skull stilt walkers.

For something more artistic, MECA, the Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts, holds a free two-day festival on October 31 and November 1 from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm at the historic Dow School in the Old Sixth Ward. It is part of a month-long series and includes an ofrendas exhibition, artist and artisan vendors, festival foods, and three performance stages. If you would rather watch a story, Grupo de Teatro Indigo presents the 13th season of Calavera con Calavera at the Hobby Center's Miller Outdoor Theatre on Friday, November 1, at 7:30 pm. The play is in Spanish with English subtitles, runs about two hours, and is free, with tickets available online and on smartphones. Masks are strongly encouraged, and it goes on rain or shine.

If you want something louder, the Día de los Muertos Lucha Libre showcase at POST Houston's X Atrium runs from 6:00 to 8:30 pm on November 1, with five matches between luchadores from Houston and Mexico. It is an 18+ event, and El Tiempo Cantina will be on site with snacks and margaritas. The whole thing culminates on Monday, November 2, with the Houston Día de los Muertos Parade and Festival at Sam Houston Park from 4:00 to 11:00 pm, with the parade itself starting at 7:00 pm on Bagby and Lamar and winding through a few blocks of downtown. And if you just want the taste of the season at home, El Bolillo Bakery sells pan de muerto from October 1 through Thanksgiving, in store and shipped nationwide.