Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday celebrated widely both within Mexico and in other countries by people with Mexican heritage. At the end of October and the beginning of November, San Francisco will celebrate with multiple events, processions, and activities to honor this special holiday.
The multi-day holiday usually takes place on November 1-2 as a way to honor friends and family members who have passed away. Families generally create a home altar bearing pictures and favorite foods of the departed, along with calaveras (decorative sculptures of the human skull) and bright golden Aztec marigold flowers. Some popular holiday foods include candy sugar skulls and a traditional sweet bread called pan de muerto.
San Francisco’s celebrations range from the annual Festival of Altars to a lively performance by SF Symphony. Read on for all of the details.
1. Festival of Altars
Marigold Project will host the 32nd annual Festival of Altars and Ritual Circle in SF’s Potrero Del Sol Park on November 2nd. Guests can build their own personal altars or come and observe the community altars on display, and are recommended to bring flowers, 8-inch glass prayer candles, and other mementos to honor their loved ones. The Ritual Circle ceremony will happen at 12pm and 5pm.
📅 Date: Nov. 2, 2024
📍 Location: Potrero Del Sol Park, Mission District • 2827 Cesar Chavez St, San Francisco, CA 94110
🌐 Website: Marigold Project
2. 43rd Annual Day of the Dead Ritual Procession / 43o Anual Procesión Ritual Día de los Muertos
SF’s Mission District will host its annual Day of the Dead ritual procession at 7pm on November 2 produced by El Colectivo del Rescate Cultural. It begins at 22nd and Bryant Streets, running through Bryant, 24th, Mission, and then 22nd Street before ending back where it began. The procession follows the vision of El Colectivo del Rescate Cultural founder Juan Pablo Gutierrez, who passed away in 2021.
📅 Date: Nov. 2, 2024
📍 Location: Starts at 22nd and Bryant Streets, San Francisco, CA
🌐 Learn more: Day of the Dead Ritual Procession on Facebook
3. Día de los Muertos with Sunset Mercantile
Sunset Mercantile presents the fourth annual Día de los Muertos celebration in the Outer Sunset this November at 37th and Ortega. Everyone is invited to set up an ofrenda (sign up ahead of time), so if you want to join the setup make sure you arrive early. The evening will include folklorico dancing as well as delicious food, face painting, music, sugar skull painting, papel picado, and traditional artisanal goods for sale.
📅 Date: Nov. 1, 2024
📍 Location: Outer Sunset • 37th Ave at Ortega to Quintara, San Francisco, CA
🌐 Website: Día de los Muertos with Sunset Mercantile
4. NightLife: Día de los Muertos at the California Academy of Sciences
NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences is one of our favorite ongoing museum events. Every Thursday the Academy comes to life for a 21+ crowd with live DJs and music, outdoor bars, and ambiance lighting. Their Day of the Dead-themed event will take place on Nov. 7th with a focus on honoring departed souls and reuniting the living and the dead.
📅 Date: Nov. 7, 2024
📍 Location: CA Academy of Sciences • 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118
🌐 Website: NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences
5. Día de los Muertos with SF Symphony
SF Symphony celebrates this vibrant holiday with two concerts on the first two days of November. The first is a live soundtrack performance of Coco as part of their popular film series. The second is their lively Día de los Muertos performance courtesy of conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto and Pacho Flores on trumpet.
📅 Dates:
- Nov. 1, 2024 – Coco film with live orchestra
- Nov. 2, 2024 – Día de los Muertos performance
📍 Location: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102
🌐 Website: San Francisco Symphony
6. Día de los Muertos events with Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
The Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA) has a fantastic lineup of events on the calendar in honor of Día de los Muertos in San Francisco. Here’s what to look for:
📅 Dates:
- Nov. 1 – Dia de los Angelitos Vigil and Meditation
- Nov. 2 – Day of the Dead Community Celebration
- Nov. 8 – Day of the Dead Sip N Paint
- Nov. 9 – Films honoring filmmaker Lourdes Portillo/poetry honoring Neely Cherkovski
- Nov. 15 – Mission House party
- Nov. 16 – Mole to Die For Contest
- Nov. 23 – Day of the Dead Closing Reception and Concert
📍 Location: 2868 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110
🌐 Website: Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
7. Día de los Muertos and Halloween at Mission Community Market
Foodwise will host a lively food market in honor of Día de los Muertos and Halloween. It’s an opportunity to pick up some delicious fall produce, bright marigolds, pan dulce, and ofrenda food items from local farms and businesses. Kids under 12 can take home a free goodie bag, and you can catch live music from Manos Lindas starting at 4pm on the Little Mission Studio stage.
📅 Date: Oct. 31, 2024
📍 Location: Mission Community Market, 84 Bartlett St, San Francisco, CA 94110
🌐 Website: Foodwise
8. Día de los Muertos with Sunset Mercantile
Join this celebration in the Outer Sunset courtesy of the massively popular Sunset Mercantile. The fourth annual celebration will include a live DJ, a beer and wine tent, a lottery, arts and crafts, and delicious food. Guests are invited to create an ofrenda for their loved ones at the event.
📅 Date: Nov. 1, 2024
📍 Location: 37th Ave from ORtega to Pacheco, San Francisco, CA
🌐 Website: Sunset Mercantile