Looking to celebrate the Day of the Dead in Philly? We’ve got you covered on all things Día de los Muertos in the city.
The Penn Museum’s 15th annual CultureFest! Día de los Muertos is set to return to West Philly on Saturday, Oct. 24. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors can browse through an artisan marketplace, enjoy live music and dance, take part in family activities and catch bilingual storytelling celebrating Mexican traditions across generations.
The all-day festival centers on a monumental ofrenda (a communal altar honoring loved ones who have passed). This year’s handmade tribute, created by artists Pamela Plata and Juanita Aguilar, is titled 'When Spirits Dance: A Tribute to Amalia Hernández,' and celebrates the pioneering Mexican choreographer who founded Ballet Folklórico de México in 1952.
The celebration will additionally feature free samples of pan de muerto (traditional Day of the Dead bread) and Mexican hot chocolate will be served at 3:15 p.m. The festival also plans to feature a community altar contest, with winners announced at 3:30 p.m. All CultureFest! activities are included with Penn Museum admission.
3260 South St., penn.museum
To celebrate the occasion, 9th Street’s Día de los Muertos festival will feature a full day of activities that will continue well into the night on Nov. 1. Organized by the Association of Mexican Business Owners of Philadelphia, the daytime festivities will stretch along Ninth Street from Federal to Christian streets from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., inviting the community to honor loved ones who have died and celebrate the traditions that keep their memories alive.
The party will then continue after dark at Fleisher Art Memorial (719 Catharine St.), where La Calaca Flaca will host an evening of art, music and community from 4 to 9 p.m.
At Aqimero, Chef Richard Sandoval is bringing his own spin to Día de los Muertos. From now through Nov. 3, the restaurant’s limited-time, prix-fixe menu draws inspiration from El Sol (the sun), with colorful dishes and seasonal sips that “trace its journey from dawn to dusk”.
The menu holds dishes like seafood brightened with mango and saffron aguachile, achiote-braised short rib with plantain purée, and pumpkin crème brûlée topped with salted caramel ice cream and pepita brittle. Cocktail-wise, locals can sip on a sparkling pomegranate Sol, a mezcalita with tamarind and charred baby corn or a hibiscus-and-guava zero-proof punch.
The festivities will culminate Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., when Sandoval and his son, Chef Giancarlo Sandoval, will host ‘El Sol: Día de los Muertos Dinner’. The intimate, one-night-only service will feature a three-course tasting menu with beverage pairings inspired by the sun’s daily arc. The dinner ($85 per person) will also feature a traditional ofrenda and a communal atmosphere. Seating is limited; reservations are available through OpenTable.
10 Ave Of The Arts, aqimero.com
At Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, Mexican artist Ivette Chaires is bringing Día de los Muertos to life through a pair of special events inspired by her exhibition 'Viviendo a Través de la Muerte (Living Through Death)', on view through Nov. 8.
First, on Oct. 27, Chaires will help install a traditional ofrenda alongside her sculptures in the museum’s back gallery. Visitors are also invited to contribute photos and notes honoring loved ones, and the ofrenda will remain on display through Nov. 8, offering a space for reflection amongst Chaires’ work.
Secondly, on Oct. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m., Chaires will lead a Calavera Workshop ($25-$30), teaching participants to create traditional papier-mâché skulls inspired by the designs featured in her exhibit. The workshop will offer a hands-on way to explore the creativity and symbolism behind Día de los Muertos through Mexican techniques.
1020 South St., phillymagicgardens.org
For a Día de los Muertos-inspired sip, bartender Kayla Kobialka has mixed up the Michoacan Burial Ground, a cocktail honoring the Mexican region of Michoacán and its more than 1,500 years of funerary history.
The drink blends mushroom-infused añejo rum, sotol, Nonino Reserva, prickly pear, aloe, citrus and a spritz of geosmin for a floral finish—which Andra Hem notes is "the compound responsible for that unmistakable earthy scent of rain hitting freshly turned soil."
218 S 16th St., andrahem.com
Día de los Muertos will take center stage at FDR Park on Saturday, Oct. 24. On that date, artist Cesar Viveros will take over Gateway Plaza to host an evening of Mexican culture, music and art.
From 5 to 8 p.m., visitors can check out folkloric dance and live music (including from Ñuuxakun and Son Revoltur), plus DJ Valentin Flores of Dance Philly will be on site. The event will also feature a Latino Market with bites and crafts, and an art installation at the park’s pedestrian entrance.
Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, myphillypark.org
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