Día de los Muertos Festival
Sat, Oct 24 | 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sun, Oct 25 | 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Relaxed hour Sat + Sun, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM!
FREE
Mesa Arts Center is pleased to celebrate Día de los Muertos with an annual event created in collaboration with the community. Día de los Muertos is a celebration of Latin American art and culture related to the Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead. The annual free event offers a variety of features, performances and more in celebration of the memories of the deceased.
Los espíritus se entrelazarán durante la celebración anual del Día de los Muertos en el Mesa Arts Center. Los visitantes se han deleitado cada año con maravillosos espectáculos en vivo por parte de destacados artistas.
Thank you for your interest in participating in the 2026 Día de los Muertos Altar Contest! This invitation is open to the general public until Fri, Sep 11 at 5:00 PM (or until spaces are filled).
Due to limited space, a maximum of 20 altar applications will be accepted. Please review the rules & regulations here.
If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor of our annual Día de los Muertos Festival, please contact Courtney Tjaden at courtney.tjaden@mesaaz.gov.
Saturday + Sunday 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Relaxed Hour is a welcoming, inclusive and more comfortable Dia de los Muertos Festival experience with reduced sensory stimuli and opportunities for anyone who may benefit from participation within a calmer environment in the hour before the official event start time.
Relaxed Hour features:
- Fewer people and crowds
- Less amplified sound and reduced lighting
- Art exhibits and immersive experience at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum
- Sensory Rooms and supports
- Meet and greet w/ festival performers
- Face painting
- Self-guided tour of altars
- Hands-on art-making activities led by specialist artists with expertise in working with youth and adults with varying disabilities.
All vendors must have products that reflect and celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Applications for Mercado vendors will go live here on May 1.
Thank you for your interest in performing at the 2026 Día de los Muertos Festival! We are currently in search of entertainment and encourage you to fill out this very brief informational form to let us know that you’re available and interested. We will be reviewing artists as forms come in and will reach out to you directly to confirm your performance at this year’s Festival.
¡Gracias por su interés en actuar en el Festival del Día de los Muertos de 2026! Actualmente nos encontramos en busca de artistas y le invitamos a completar este breve formulario informativo para hacernos saber que está disponible e interesado. Revisaremos las solicitudes a medida que las recibamos y nos pondremos en contacto directamente con usted para confirmar su participación en el Festival de este año.
Virginia's vision and dedication left a lasting impact on our community, particularly through her creation of the first community altar for our Día de los Muertos festival. To honor her, Mesa Arts Center will commission an original art piece as a permanent part of the annual community altar and establish the Virginia Aguero Día de los Muertos Fund to ensure fair compensation for the artists who create the altar. Virginia's legacy will live on in the heart of the festival, and we are proud to honor her in this way.
To support future community artists, donate to the Maria Virginia Rascon Peralta-Aguero Fund. Thank you in advance for your support!
Mesa Arts Center Foundation is a 501.c.3 organization whose mission is to support Mesa Arts Center’s arts education and outreach programs. While Mesa Arts Center is owned and operated by the City of Mesa, philanthropy makes it possible for thousands of young children to experience the arts, no matter the economic or other barriers.
