Mark your calendar and start planning your ofrenda. Hollywood Forever's Día de los Muertos Celebration returns Saturday, October 24, 2026, for its 27th annual edition, and it's billed as the largest Día de los Muertos celebration in the United States and one of the largest outside Mexico. This year's theme is "All Under One Sky / Bajo un Mismo Cielo," a reflection on love, loss, memory, compassion and hope as experiences shared across cultures and borders.
The Date, the Place, the Hours
The celebration runs from noon to midnight at Hollywood Forever, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. in Los Angeles. Tickets are sold in three admission windows: 12 PM to 4 PM, 4 PM to 7 PM, and 7 PM to 11 PM. Here's the good part: you're allowed to stay past your designated window, so an afternoon entry can easily turn into a full day and night.
Who's Playing
The music lineup is led by DannyLux, the Mexican-American singer-songwriter whose alternativo-sierreño sound has pulled a new generation into contemporary Mexican music. He's joined by Trish Toledo, known for her powerful takes on classic soul and ballads; East LA's Tropa Magica with its psychedelic cumbia-punk; and San Diego indie band Los Shadows, mixing indie rock, psychedelia and cumbia. DJs Que Madre, JOAQU.N and Dro Barlo keep things moving between sets.
Altars, Art and Everything Else
The music is only part of it. Community-created altars and ofrendas fill the cemetery grounds, honoring ancestors and loved ones with photos, mementos and traditional offerings. Roughly 300 traditional Aztec and folklórico dancers take part, alongside the Ceremonial Procession and the Muerte y Tradición Stage.
Inside the historic Cathedral Mausoleum, the Cathedral Art Exhibition, curated by Nery Gabriel Lemus, brings together 12 artists exploring identity, belonging and memory. El Cine + El Teatro: The People's Stage, led by Mariana Da Silva, offers bilingual theater, puppetry and family activities, with a visual concept by ASCO co-founder Willie Herrón. In the evening it turns into an outdoor cinema showing Mexican classics with the Guadalajara Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Families can head to the Children's Plaza for hands-on art, plus storytelling from bilingual publisher Lil' Libros and programming from LA Opera Connects. Round it out with arts and crafts vendors, culinary vendors, and the annual altar and costume competitions.
Getting Tickets
Tickets are on sale now through TicketWeb, and complete event information is on the official site, ladayofthedead.com. Organizers say more programming will be announced, so check back before you go. Get tickets here
Sippin After Hours will be on the ground at Hollywood Forever covering the celebration, so keep an eye out for us under that one big sky.
