Day of the Dead 2026: Mexico City parade date, Oaxaca and Pátzcuaro

Day of the Dead 2026 lands on a long weekend: November 1 is a Sunday and November 2 a Monday with no school. Mexico City's Gran Desfile already has an official date, Saturday, October 31, and the Mega Catrina Procession is set for Sunday the 25th. In Oaxaca the comparsas and the Xoxocotlán vigil run from October 29 to November 2; in Pátzcuaro the Janitzio vigil is the night of November 1 into the 2nd. Book now: in 2025 Oaxaca and Pátzcuaro were close to sold out by early October.

The 2026 calendar: Sunday the 1st, Monday the 2nd, and why prices jump

The SEP school calendar for 2026-2027 lists Monday, November 2 as a no-class day, so millions of Mexican families get a three-day weekend from Saturday the 31st to Monday the 2nd. It is not a statutory paid holiday under federal labor law, but many offices close anyway. The result: Friday the 30th through Sunday the 1st are the priciest nights and the first to sell out in Oaxaca, Pátzcuaro and central Mexico City, and return flights on Monday the 2nd and Tuesday the 3rd cost more; flying back Wednesday the 4th saves money.

Mexico City's Gran Desfile 2026: Saturday, October 31

Mexico City's Ministry of Culture set the date in its call for participating groups published in July 2026: the Gran Desfile de Día de Muertos 2026 takes place on Saturday, October 31. It is the tenth edition and will follow three themes: pre-Hispanic roots, regional popular culture, and tributes to José Alfredo Jiménez, Blanca Estela Pavón and Juan Gabriel.

As of September 2026 there is no final start time or route. The reference is 2025: it stepped off on Saturday, November 1 at 2:00 pm from the Puerta de los Leones in Chapultepec, followed Paseo de la Reforma, Avenida Juárez and 5 de Mayo, and reached the Zócalo about four hours later, with 1.45 million spectators according to the city government. It is free with no tickets.

Confirm time and route at cultura.cdmx.gob.mx; they are usually announced in mid-October.
Arrive two hours early around the Ángel or the Diana fountain; the Zócalo closes once it fills up.
Ride the Metro; see our guide to public transit in Mexico City.

Mega Catrina Procession and the Zócalo's monumental ofrenda

The Mega Procesión de las Catrinas 2026 is on Sunday, October 25 at 6:00 pm, from the Ángel de la Independencia to the Zócalo. Joining costs a contribution of approx. MXN $25, with registration at megaprocesiondelascatrinas.com.mx; in 2025 it drew more than 16,000 people in skull makeup.

The Ofrenda Monumental in the Zócalo has no 2026 dates as of September. In 2025 it was open October 26 to November 2, free, with more than 100,000 marigolds. It will most likely open in the last week of October and close on November 2 or 3; the announcement comes from jefaturadegobierno.cdmx.gob.mx.

Oaxaca 2026: comparsas, the Etla muerteadas and the Xoxocotlán vigil

Oaxaca's state tourism office publishes its program in early October, so use 2025 as your template: activities from October 26 to November 3, the Diverti Muertos comparsa on the 29th at 4:00 pm, a free traditional-food fair in the Zócalo on the 30th at 6:00 pm, and the Gran Comparsa on October 31 at 6:00 pm, from the Fuente de las Ocho Regiones to the Alameda de León. The state expected 89,834 visitors in the capital.

Xoxocotlán: the Velada de los Fieles Difuntos is the night of October 31 in the San Sebastián Mártir, Mictlancíhuatl and Monte Albán cemeteries, with brass bands from nightfall. Taxi from downtown: approx. MXN $150 to $220.
Panteón General (San Miguel): November 1 and 2, downtown, on foot.
Etla muerteadas: San Agustín, Villa de Etla, San Pablo and Nazareno go out on the night of November 1 (San Agustín starts around 10:00 pm) and dance until dawn. There is no Uber; the ride back is arranged days ahead.
Neighborhood comparsas: Jalatlaco, Xochimilco and El Polvo parade on the nights of the 31st and the 1st.

For the rest of the city, see our Oaxaca guide.

Pátzcuaro and Janitzio: the vigil on the night of November 1

Michoacán's Noche de Muertos week ran in 2025 from October 24 to November 2, with 13 workshops (approx. MXN $100 to $250), altar tours and vigils in Janitzio, Tzintzuntzan and Tzurumútaro; the state expected more than 420,000 visitors. The 2026 program should appear in early October at michoacan.gob.mx. The main vigil is the night of Sunday the 1st into Monday the 2nd.

Getting there: bus from Mexico City to Morelia (4 to 5 hours from Terminal Poniente or Central del Norte), then Morelia to Pátzcuaro with Autovías or La Línea (approx. 1 hour, from MXN $105).
Boat to Janitzio: from the San Pedrito dock, approx. MXN $70 round trip at the regular fare (2024 figure), 20 minutes each way. On the night of the 1st the lines last hours: arrive before 6:00 pm or pick Tzintzuntzan or Cucuchucho, reachable by road.
Lodging: on October 9, 2025 Pátzcuaro already reported over 90% occupancy. Morelia, an hour away, is plan B.

Mixquic: the Alumbrada on Monday, November 2

San Andrés Mixquic, in the Tláhuac borough, hosts free events that in 2025 ran October 30 to November 2. The 1st is the vigil for children and the 2nd for adults; that night, at dusk, the cemetery beside the church of San Andrés Apóstol fills with candles and copal smoke in the Alumbrada. In 2026 it falls on a Monday, which trims the crowd a little.

Public transit: Metro Tláhuac (Line 12) or Metrobús Escuadrón 201 (Line 5) plus local transport, or the route 50 bus straight from Metro Taxqueña to Mixquic.
By car: Periférico Sur and Avenida Tláhuac, approx. 1 hour 30 from the Zócalo without traffic; there is no parking, so a tour or a driver makes sense.
After midnight transport thins out: arrange your ride before you enter the cemetery.

Aguascalientes: Festival de Calaveras 2026, program still pending

The Festival Cultural de Calaveras, dedicated to José Guadalupe Posada, ran in 2025 from October 24 to November 2 along Venustiano Carranza street and the Jardín de San Marcos, with the Desfile de Calaveras on October 31. As of September 2026 there is no 2026 program, but the state sports institute has already announced festival events between October 29 and November 1, so the window will be similar; check festivaldecalaveras.aguascalientes.gob.mx.

Lodging and transport: book now

Oaxaca and Pátzcuaro sell out; Mexico City only gets pricier. Compare on our hotel search and favor free cancellation. In Pátzcuaro the local hotel association said in October 2025 that licensed hotels charge approx.In Pátzcuaro the hotel association acknowledged in October 2025 that rates jump on the peak dates and that many rooms are booked a year ahead.

Flight Mexico City to Oaxaca: 1 hour 10 minutes. As of September 2026 Volaris shows base fares from approx. MXN $330 for October, before airport tax and bags; for the Day of the Dead dates budget MXN $900 to $2,500 each way. Details in Mexico City to Oaxaca.
ADO bus from TAPO: 6 hours 30 minutes; as of September 2026 the list fare is approx. MXN $966 on ADO, $656 on AU and $1,470 on ADO Platino.
Tours: for Xoxocotlán, Etla, Janitzio and Mixquic a night tour with return transport is worth it.

A 4-day plan: Mexico City plus Oaxaca, or Mexico City plus Michoacán

Option A, Mexico City and Oaxaca (Saturday 31 to Tuesday 3):

Saturday 31: Gran Desfile along Reforma, then the Ofrenda Monumental in the Zócalo.
Sunday 1: early flight to Oaxaca, Panteón General in the afternoon and the San Agustín Etla muerteada from 10:00 pm.
Monday 2: markets, the Jalatlaco tapestry and the last night of comparsas.
Tuesday 3: Monte Albán in the morning and your flight home.

Option B, Mexico City and Michoacán (Saturday 31 to Tuesday 3):

Saturday 31: Gran Desfile in Mexico City.
Sunday 1: early bus to Morelia, connection to Pátzcuaro and the vigil in Tzintzuntzan or Janitzio until the early hours.
Monday 2: Pátzcuaro by day, then back to Mexico City; if you arrive before 7:00 pm you can make the Mixquic Alumbrada.
Tuesday 3: buffer day for flights.

If you would rather skip the parade, fly to Oaxaca on Friday the 30th: the Gran Comparsa and the Xoxocotlán vigil fall on the same night. For background on the tradition, read our complete Day of the Dead in Mexico guide.

Practical tips

Book a hotel with free cancellation today and search again in October: cancellations open up.
In cemeteries ask before photographing a family, skip flash and drones, do not step on graves or touch ofrendas, and do not drink inside.
Carry cash in small bills: boats, taxis and food do not take cards.
Arrange your ride back before heading to Xoxocotlán, Etla, Janitzio or Mixquic; getting there is never the problem, getting back is.
If you get catrina makeup, tip the artist and remember that in rural cemeteries this is mourning, not a costume party.

Frequently asked questions

What day is the Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City in 2026?

Saturday, October 31, 2026, according to the city Ministry of Culture's call for groups. Time and route are announced in October; in 2025 it started at 2:00 pm.

Is November 2, 2026 a public holiday in Mexico?

It is not a statutory paid holiday, but public schools are closed that Monday, so it works as a three-day weekend.

How much is the boat to Janitzio on the Night of the Dead?

Approx. MXN $70 round trip from the San Pedrito dock at the regular fare (2024 figure). On the night of the 1st the issue is not the price but the line, which can take hours.

How do I get to Mixquic on November 2?

Metro to Tláhuac (Line 12) and local transport, or the route 50 bus from Metro Taxqueña. By car it is approx. 1 hour 30 from the Zócalo and there is no parking.