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Día de los Muertos

Traditional and Authentic Celebrations

Honor lost loved ones and immerse yourself in traditional and authentic Mexican Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations throughout San Diego.

Discover San Diego’s citywide Día de los Muertos festivities

San Diego's cross-border connections are on full and vibrant display during this annual Mexican tradition. The city's neighborhoods come alive with music, dancing, colorful altars, sugar skulls, and beautifully painted faces. Join in this celebration of the dearly departed in this episode of San Diego's "One Bright Idea" series.

Dia de los Muertos - Old Town San Diego State Historic Park

Day of the Dead Celebrations

Sherman Heights Día de los Muertos

When: October 13 - November 2, 2022
Embrace Mexican culture during Sherman Heights' Dia de los Muertos with a traditional celebration, official altar blessing, live performances, food and more. 

Oceanside Día de los Muertos Festival

When: October 23, 2022
21st Annual Dia de los Muertos in Downtown Oceanside will have altars, arts & crafts, por siempre car show, a chalk cemetery and more!

Chula Vista Third Avenue Village's Día de los Muertos

When: October 29, 2022
Stroll along Third Avenue and take in the ofrendas (offerings), tastes and music as we celebrate our inaugural Día de los Muertos Celebration in the heart of Chula Vista. 

Old Town Día de los Muertos

When: October 29-30, 2022 & November 2, 2022
It's the time of the year where we reunite the living and the dead. The tradition of Día de los Muertos continues in Old Town this year, with a Mercado del arte and Procesión to the Cemetery.

City Heights Día de los Muertos

When: October 29, 2022
Celebrate the lives of friends and relatives who have passed away at the City Heights Dia de Los Muertos. People of all cultures will come together for community altars, face painting, mask making, and prizes for the best catrina and catrin contest, plus dancing, singing and music.

Encinitas Día de los Muertos

When: October 29, 2022
This annual family-friendly "Day of the Dead" festival will include continuous performances by some of the best Latin talent in San Diego, plus art-making workshops, artist demonstrations, student exhibitions, live Mariachi and other musical performances, as well as food trucks, opportunity drawings, vendors and giveaways.

“El último sueño de Frida y Diego (The Last Dream of Frida and Diego)”

When: October 29 - November 6, 2022
San Diego Opera opens its season with this world-premiere opera that revolves around the Day of the Dead. In the piece by Grammy Award-winning composer Gabriela Lena Frank, the great muralist Diego Rivera — surrounded by candles and the fragrance of marigolds on Dia de Los Muertos — longs to see his deceased wife, the beloved painter Frida Kahlo, once more. With help from Catrina, the keeper of the souls, Frida and Diego will spend 24 hours reliving their tumultuous love through their paintings and embracing the passion they shared. (San Diego Opera is also hosting numerous community events in conjunction with "The Last Dream" through the run of the production.)

A Día de los Muertos Celebration

When: October 30, 2022
For our second Día de los Muertos Celebration at The Rady Shell, the San Diego Symphony will present an evening honoring Latinx music and culture, and memorializing those who have passed on.

Día de los Muertos Festival

When: November 1, 2022
The California Center for the arts will stay true to tradition and have altars, dance performances by the Aztec dance group Xinachtli and Tierra Caliente Academy of Arts, craft tables, an outdoor DJ and an artisan craft market.

*Please note, events are subject to change and cancellation. Please confirm the event information by visiting the event website.

Look for Lively Celebrations — No Bones About It

Fall in San Diego brings the distinctive and colorful traditions of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. A multi-day commemoration of those who have passed on, Día de los Muertos originated in Mexico, and San Diego's strong cross-border connections mean the occasion is honored far and wide here.

Each year, in late October and early November, Día de los Muertos events around the county invite visitors to honor the deceased by creating ofrendas (offerings), decorating altars to the dead with photos and flowers. Día de los Muertos commemorations are also known for such signature sights as colorful Catrina makeup and the small sugar skulls called Calaveras; many of the local events also offer face-painting, music and more.

One of the biggest annual Día de los Muertos celebrations here takes place in San Diego's Old Town, a centerpiece of the region's Hispanic heritage; a candlelit procession is a highlight of the commemoration. Downtown Chula Vista in San Diego's South Bay and Downtown Oceanside in coastal North County likewise stage popular Day of the Dead events.

Check back here in September for specific dates and details on Día de los Muertos commemorations all around San Diego County.

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Fall Fun and Excitement in San Diego

When autumn arrives, a crisp soothing breeze sweeps over San Diego complementing the region's warm temperatures and welcoming vibe.

Make San Diego your awesome autumn escape and activate smile mode with a variety of festivals, haunting Halloween celebrations, plenty of outdoor activities, and diverse cultural entertainment.

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What's On|

Hagen Quartet

Feb 20, 2025

The Hagen Quartet has attained an unparalleled position among the finest ensembles of our time, having been declared “the pinnacle of musicality” (Die Presse). For nearly four decades, the Hagen Quartet has performed throughout the world and amassed a storied discography of nearly fifty recordings.

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DEFYING LIMITS: CLIMBING THE 14 HIGHEST PEAKS

Mar 6, 2025

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner has climbed all 14 of the 8,000+ meter peaks, from Annapurna to Everest. Upon completing the most daunting and feared mountain, K2, in the remote Karakoram Range, she became the first woman climber to do so without supplemental oxygen or porters. On stage she shares the highlights of a remarkable career and what it was like to be the first.

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KODO One Earth Tour: Warabe

Feb 6, 2025

Let your soul dance to the rhythm of life! Celebrating more than 40 years, Kodo returns to North America with One Earth Tour 2025: Warabe, a thrilling performance that revisits the ensemble’s early repertoire – blending simple forms of taiko expression that highlight its unique sound, resonance, and physicality. With Warabe, Kodo explores the desire to play the drums with the simple heart of a child. These highly athletic drummers, bearers of a centuries-old Japanese tradition, create a universe of sound and emotion through thunderous percussion and polished theatricality. Capturing the essence of Kodo’s early days, this family-friendly performance celebrates the ensemble’s enduring spirit as children of the drum. Come and experience the soul-stirring rhythm of life firsthand.

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San Diego Bird Festival

Feb 28 - Mar 2, 2025

The San Diego Bird Alliance invites you to the San Diego Bird Festival, which celebrates the birds and habitats of San Diego County. Our region truly offers some of the best birding in the United States.

In a world where social media and smart devices seem to be taking over, birds are a lovely reminder that the world is full of real experiences. All you need to do is Look Up! 

We hope you will join us for the celebration, and we'll give you plenty of opportunities to "look up" and see the birds of San Diego. Know that your experience is giving something back to the birds: The proceeds of this festival support the education, conservation and sanctuary programs of the San Diego Bird Alliance. We thank you for your support and hope to meet you at the festival.

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What's On

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Hagen Quartet

Feb 20, 2025
Discover

DEFYING LIMITS: CLIMBING THE 14 HIGHEST PEAKS

Mar 6, 2025
Discover

KODO One Earth Tour: Warabe

Feb 6, 2025
Discover

San Diego Bird Festival

Feb 28 - Mar 2, 2025
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