Day of the Dead is ahead. How to celebrate Día de los Muertos

Across Michigan, groups are preparing to host Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, celebrations this weekend, Nov. 1-2.

The Mexican and Latin American holiday commemorates family members who have passed, giving families and friends a chance to celebrate the lives of loved ones and reconnect with their spirits, according to Dayofthedead.holiday.

A key element of celebration is ofrendas, or altars, honoring the deceased, featuring photos and cultural and personal items memorializing the dead. This season, many Michigan cities are embracing the tradition, setting up communal ofrendas for the public to visit and to contribute items.

While Day of the Dead stems from ancient Aztec customs in Mexico and Latin America, the holiday was later shaped by Spanish settlers and evolved into its modern iteration, a mix of Indigenous and European Catholic celebrations, according to the National Museum of the American Latino.

"Today, this celebration has been increasingly popular among Latinos in the United States. Though many of the traditional elements have remained, the way and where the Day of the Dead is celebrated has changed. However, the unity of life and death continues to be the dominant theme of the art, tradition, and rituals of the annual celebration of the Day of the Dead on Nov. 2, both in Mexico and the United States," the museum's website says.

The Dia de los Muertos ofrenda at La Jalisciense Supermercado in Detroit.

The concept of "Day of the Dead" celebrations is also observed across a variety of cultures globally, the Smithsonian Magazine noted.

Here's what to know about Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

When is Day of the Dead?

Día de los Muertos, Spanish for Day of the Dead, takes place over two days, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 1-2, 2025.

Where can you celebrate in Michigan?

Here are upcoming Day of the Dead events across the state:

Ofrendas at the DIA: The Detroit Institute of Arts in midtown Detroit is hosting its 13th annual Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos exhibition now through Nov. 2. The exhibit features Day of the Dead ofrendas made by local artists and residents, showcasing the symbolic Mexican tradition.
Día de los Muertos in Kalamazoo: El Concilio, a Kalamazoo-based nonprofit, will host its 10th annual Day of the Dead celebration at 5 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Kalamazoo County Expo Center in Kalamazoo. The event will include ofrendas, food, music, cultural dance performances, a Catrina contest and traditional art.
Día de los Muertos on Detroit's riverfront: The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy will again host its free Day of the Dead celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 1 at Robert C. Valade Park along the Detroit River. The family-friendly event will feature live music, vendors, food, children's activities, folklorico cultural dances and an ofrenda. The altar will be open to visitors 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until Nov. 3.
Day of the Dead at Macomb Community College: The Albert L. Lorenzo Cultural Center at Macomb Community College in Clinton Township is hosting Day of the Dead and Mexican-themed events leading into early November. This includes a Mexican film festival, a sugar skull-inspired painting workshop, Day of the Dead talk and an altar-making event.
Día de los Muertos in Saginaw: A Day of the Dead celebration will take place at the Saginaw Art Museum & Gardens from 1-4 p.m. Nov. 1. The free event will feature ofrendas, face painting, educational videos and art. Ofrendas will be on display until Nov. 8 and visitors can contribute to the community ofrenda.
Day of the Dead in Howell: Latinos En Michigan TV and the Minority Education Freedom Foundation will host its first Day of the Dead celebration in Howell from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Howell Opera House. The free event will include live music, hot chocolate, a community ofrenda, cultural dance performances, a presentation on the holiday by the Consulate of Mexico in Detroit, and pan de muerto.
Day of the Dead in northeast Michigan: The second Day of the Dead celebration in downtown Alpena will run 4-9 p.m. Nov. 1. Festivities will include ofrendas, a Catrina costume contest, live Mariachi music, face painting, children's activities and food and drink specials.
Día de los Muertos Run/Walk in southwest Detroit: An annual Run of the Dead 5K/10K run and walk will take place from 7 a.m. to noon Nov. 1 at George S. Patton Park Recreation Center in Detroit, hosted by the Southwest Detroit Business Association. The run/walk will go through the historic Holy Cross Cemetery and Woodmere Cemetery and will feature a community ofrenda; entertainment; vendors; traditional face paint, flowers and attire and refreshments.

How is Day of the Dead celebrated?

Traditionally, Day of the Dead celebrations feature an ofrenda, or altar, dedicated to deceased loved ones, centered on four key elements: water, wind, earth and fire, the National Museum of the American Latino explained.

Water is served in a clay pitcher or glass; lit candles symbolize fire; papel picado, a string of multicolored tissue papers cut in Mexican designs, represent wind; food stands for earth, typically pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, a Mexican sweet bread, and the deceased's favorite foods.

Ofrendas placed in homes and at graves also typically include photos of the dead; marigolds, the flower traditionally honoring the dead; salt, a sign of purification; sugar skulls, representing the spirit of the dead; favorite items or toys of the dead, and, for the faithful, Christian iconography, according to the California State Polytechnic University, Ponoma.

Traditional customs include a visit to a loved one's gravesite at a cemetery, families gathering to clean the grave and decorate it with symbolic items like marigolds, candles, sugar skulls and the deceased's favorite foods; sharing a meal at the graveside; singing songs and/or reciting prayers and talking about memories of the deceased love one, National Geographic and Dayofthedead.holiday note.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Day of the Dead is ahead. How to celebrate Día de los Muertos