Family Friendly Día de los Muertos Events in LA

On Sunday, October 29, La Plaza de Cultura y Artes is hosting a free Día de los Muertos Family Day. Explore the historical and cultural significance of Day of the Dead traditions. Enjoy live music and dance and art workshops. Food and drinks available for sale. The celebration of life and death starts at noon.

For eight days, the Olvera Street community celebrates the lives of those that have passed with the annual Día de los Muertos Festival. Nightly theatrical performances of La Danza de la Muerte by Teatro del Barrio are scheduled for 6pm on the plaza stage. At 7pm, the Novenario Procession begins in the plaza at the top of Olvera Street and ends with a nightly ceremony honoring loved ones. Community altars will be on view in the plaza from October 28 through November 2. Entertainment and face painting will take place at 11am on October 28-29; and at 4pm on November 1-2.

The historic Central Library is hosting a Día de los Muertos Family Celebration from 2-4pm on Sunday, October 29. Highlights include a live performance by Dr. Gloria Arjona; Self Help Graphics picture frame workshop; award-winning children's book author Roseanne Greenfield; arts & crafts, photo booth and a screening of The Day of the Dead. The Family Celebration is free and open to all!

Los Muertos 5K celebrates Día de los Muertos with a run through historic Olvera Street, featuring music along the course, beautiful finisher medals and a post-race celebration. Can you say fast, fun and scenic (or rápido, divertido y pintoresco)?

Starting on Main Street in El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the race course runs through lower Chinatown and then takes a left turn onto Alameda Street towards Los Angeles State Historic Park. The 5k run/walk turns around at 19th Avenue after you cross over the Los Angeles River. On the return, you'll enjoy amazing views of the Downtown LA skyline. Expect a little uphill finish as you return to Olvera Street for an amazing finish line festival!

Participants are invited to honor loved ones by displaying photos of those that have passed at the Runners Altar located in the oval near historic Olvera Street.

Plaza de la Raza hosts the annual Día de los Muertos Festival on Wednesday, November 1 from 5pm-9:30pm. The FREE community event celebrates art, music, dance and living tradition with ofrendas by local artists, live performances, face painting, hands-on workshops, local vendors and much more.

Hollywood Forever is renowned as the final resting place of hundreds of legendary Hollywood stars and iconic musicians. Each year, the landmark cemetery hosts the largest Día de los Muertos celebration outside of Mexico, featuring more than 100 altars, live music, DJs and Aztec dancers.

Now in its 24th year, the festival is actually two separately ticketed events - the family friendly Día de los Muertos from 9am to 3pm; and the evening Noche de los Muertos (5pm to midnight). This year's theme is “Máscaras de México – Vida y Muerte en La Máscara” (Masks of Mexico - Life and Death in the Mask).

Activities in the Children's Plaza include face painting, free ice cream samples, pan de muerto decorating demo, Honor Your Mascota Framed Art, and arts & crafts like Lantern Making with Lil’ Libros; and making paper jaguar masks and marigolds.

The festivities also include Kids Mariachi and Reading Time with Frankie Quiñones on the Calaveritas Stage; a ceremonial procession at 11am; Cathedral Art Exhibition featuring Rafael Coronel and 200+ masks; costume contest, L.A. Taco curated taqueros and more.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketweb with options for General Admission and VIP. For more info, download a PDF of the full schedule and festival map.

Every month, the Education team at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures invites families to join museum educators and be inspired by the museum’s exhibitions and screenings to learn, create and have fun!

On Saturday, November 11, the Drop-In Workshop for Families is inspired by Coco (2017) and Día de los Muertos. Alebrijes are brightly colored creatures with animal features from Mexican folklore. They are part of traditional Día de los Muertos festivities and featured in the Oscar-winning animated film, Coco. Families will learn about the significance of alebrijes and create their own vibrant creature together!

Join the workshop anytime from 12:30pm to 2:30pm in the Shirley Temple Education Studio on the museum’s Lower Level.

Sugar Skull! A Día de los Muertos Musical Adventure!, a bilingual/bicultural musical for young audiences, uses traditional music and dance from Mexico to tell the story of twelve-year-old Vita Flores, who thinks her family has gone loco planning a celebration for deceased loved ones. Why throw a party for the dead? But when a spirited candy skeleton suddenly springs to life, Vita finds herself on a magical, musical journey to unravel the true meaning and tuneful traditions of Día de los Muertos. Best enjoyed by grades Pre-K - 3. All wigglers are welcome!

The Third Street Promenade is hosting a Día de los Muertos Celebration on Saturday, October 28 from 2pm - 9pm. The festivities include a colorful display of community altars; family- and pet-friendly activities, arts & crafts, face painting, live performances, Latinx popup market curated by Molcajete Dominguero; and 14-foot La Catrina public art sculptures by LA-based artist Ricardo Soltero.

On Wednesday, November 1, the Sun Valley Youth Arts Center presents the 17th annual Día de los Muertos Celebration! Taking place from 5pm - 8pm, the free event features art workshops, a student art exhibition, refreshments, and entertainment such as performances by Grammy Award winners Lorenzo Martinez and Grupo Bella. The celebration will conclude with an amazing ritual dance by Danza Temachtiani Quetzalcoatl. The public is welcome to participate in the community altar by bringing a photocopy/image of a loved one who has passed to place on the altar.

Learn how to make papel picado, decorate calaveras or contribute to the community altar at the 9th annual Downey Día de los Muertos Art Festival. Presented by the Downey Theatre, the day-long festival includes art exhibitions, live performances and a car display in addition to food vendors and a wine and beer garden. The family-friendly event is free to attend and attendees should follow @downeyddlmfestival on Facebook or Instagram for updates.

The Museum of Latin American Art presents the annual Día de los Muertos Festival on Sunday, October 29. This year’s theme is Hecho con Amor/Made with Love in honor of the museum's partnership with Mexico and the upcoming exhibition, Festin de Sabores – an intimate look at the richness and complexity of Mexican cuisine.

This year's festival will be bigger and better than ever with more than 36 merchants, nine food stations, beer & wine, and sweets for the kids and the young at heart. There's also live performances, tunes by DJ Caveman, a face-painting station, children’s sugar skull workshop, printmaking station and a live tattoo artist.

Come dressed in your best Day of the Dead regalia and enter to win prizes in the on-site Catrina/Catrine costume contest. Judging will be at 2pm with a grand prize of $500 and $250 for second place; plus two tickets to El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego courtesy of the LA Opera!