San Antonio is home to the Nation’s Largest Day of the Dead celebrations. It is also a vital path for migrating monarch butterflies and so these have become an integral part of San Antonio’s unique cultural celebrations.
This October, San Antonio invites travellers to experience Spirit Season, a city-wide, more-than-month-long celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) the largest and most authentic in the United States. From October 3 through November 14, 2025, vibrant altars, illuminated river parades, live performances, art installations and community festivals will fill the city with colour, remembrance and cultural magic.
With its deep cultural roots, San Antonio hosts the nation’s largest Día de los Muertos celebrations with over two dozen signature events blending heartfelt tradition with festive spectacle. From Muertos Fest, the city’s largest event attracting more than 100,000 visitors, and “Altares y Ofrendas” at Centro Cultural Aztlan, now in its 48th year, to Día de los Muertos at the Missions, occurring at Texas’ only UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city stands as the top U.S. destination to celebrate the moving and colourful cultural tradition.
“Our October Spirit Season demonstrates how our deep connection with San Antonio’s Latino heritage is at the heart of every celebration,” said Mario Bass, President & CEO, Visit San Antonio. “Visitors can expect striking art installations, performances, artisan markets, and traditional pan de muerto from local bakeries. Beyond the spectacle, Spirit Season is a time for remembrance, reflection and communal connection.”
October’s Spirit Season also coincides with monarch butterflies’ migration period and is part of the cultural indigenous celebrations of Day of the Dead. Many indigenous cultures, including the Aztecs and Purépecha, believe the arriving monarchs carry the souls of deceased ancestors and loved ones. Their presence is seen as a spiritual homecoming, with their bright orange wings mirroring the marigolds used to guide spirits home. San Antonio celebrates the importance of monarch butterflies and other pollinators at the annual Monarch Butterfly & Pollinator Festival, occurring this year on October 18 at Brackenridge Park.
San Antonio’s marquee Day of the Dead celebrations include:
Día De Los Muertos Tradition Trail (Oct. 3 – Nov. 5): The River Wak comes alive with the colourful celebration of Dia de los Muertos. Experience stunning 5-foot alebrijes (fantastical spirit animals), vibrant altars and festive calaveras along the downtown stretch.
Rio De La Vida – Tradition Trail Tour (Tuesdays & Sundays, Oct. 5 – Nov. 4): This special guided river cruise takes guests through the heart of downtown San Antonio while highlighting the art, symbolism, and stories behind the alebrijes, calaveras and ofrendas displayed along the River Walk.
Day of the Dead River Parade (Oct. 24): Watch as beautifully decorated, illuminated barges drift down the iconic River Walk in a glowing procession of lights, colour and performance – a tribute to the departed that is both emotional and spectacular.
Muertos Fest at Hemisphere (Oct. 24-26): A free, immersive festival combining five stages of live music and performances, altar exhibits and an artisan market with a brand-new experience, ¡Presente! A Night to Remember – A Musical Tribute to Flaco Jiménez.
Day of the Dead San Antonio at La Villita (Oct. 24-26): Over one weekend, La Villita comes alive with light, music, food, giant alebrijes and a spectacular Calavera Collection of 25 giant painted skulls. Visitors also can enjoy theatrical performances at the Arneson River Theatre and Plaza Juarez.
“Altares y Ofrendas” at Centro Cultural Aztlan (Nov. 2-13): Centro Cultural Aztlán presents its 48th annual exhibit of artistically crafted altars, offering an intimate and contemplative look at Día de los Muertos themes.
Day of the Dead commemorations throughout San Antonio don’t end there. Some of the must-see experiences include:
Dia de los Muertos at the Missions (Oct. 11 – Nov. 14): Explore beautiful community ofrendas (altar displays) at San Antonio’s historic Missions – Concepción, San José, San Juan and Espada – free of charge.
Between Oct. 20 and Nov. 2, Mission San José’s granary opens its doors daily (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) to present family ofrendas crafted by the mission descendant community.
Catrina Live Exhibit at The Shops at La Cantera (Oct. 18): Stroll among stunning life-size Catrina icons — each clad in exquisite, handcrafted attire — at the Catrina Live Exhibit in the open space between Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Local artists will also display Día de los Muertos–inspired works in a gallery setting.
Market Square Celebration (Oct. 25-26): Celebrate in the heart of San Antonio’s largest Mexican marketplace. Traditional altars, live music, face painting, cultural dance and family-friendly crafts bring the community together in a colourful tribute.
Calaverita Run 5K & Family Walk (Oct. 25): Lace up for a themed 5K or walk past altars, art displays and live performances. Participants can personalize a “For Who Do You Run” wall to honour a loved one.
Esperanza Peace & Justice Centre (Nov. 1): Join community workshops — building altars, crafting papel picado and touring the historic San Fernando Cemetery — in a reflective, local-centred observance of the holiday.
Events at The Rock (La Cantera), Pearl & More (Nov 1–2)
The Rock at La Cantera invites families for face painting, themed food, live music and a screening of Coco.
La Reina de la Vida at La Cantera Resort & Spa blends fashion, fine dining, art installations and a powerful female-spirited ofrenda.
Pearl hosts campus-wide altars, music performances, roaming entertainers and interactive workshops.
San Antonio’s Spirit Season is more than a festival, it is a citywide embrace of heritage, art, community and memory. Come for the pageantry; stay for the stories, the spirit, the soul.
Get more information and inspiration at VisitSanAntonio.com/