If you’re planning to celebrate Día de los Muertos in DC, Maryland or Virginia, you’re in good company. This Mexican holiday on Nov. 1 and 2 is all about honoring loved ones with altars, favorite foods and time together. It’s not a somber event. Instead, families come together for a joyful, multiday celebration of life, memory and connection.
This November, families across the DMV can take part in the tradition together, from participating in community ofrendas to sugar-skull crafting. Here’s your guide to celebrating Día de los Muertos with your family across the DMV.
Key Takeaways
What is Dia de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday during which families pay homage to loved ones who have passed away. Through altars in their homes or offerings of their loved ones’ favorite foods, the multiday festival is designed to celebrate them through color and joy while remembering them as they lived! The festival is built on the philosophy that, as long as they are remembered and celebrated, they are always with you. It is a lovely way to keep people in your soul and let them know they are never forgotten.
The festival is rooted in the belief that, during this period, the border between us and the spiritual world disappears, allowing you to embrace loved ones who have passed away and show your gratitude for life and celebration.
Foods to include
Food plays a huge role in Día de Muertos celebrations, both as offerings on ofrendas for the deceased and as dishes shared among the living. Some of the most traditional ones include:
- Pan de muerto: A sweet, slightly orange-blossom-scented bread, often shaped with bone-like decorations on top, symbolizing the cycle of life and death. It’s probably the most iconic food of the holiday.
- Calaveras de azúcar (sugar skulls): Decorative skulls made of sugar, often inscribed with the name of the deceased, placed on the altar rather than eaten.
- Mole: A rich, complex sauce (often mole negro or mole poblano) served over chicken or turkey, considered a special-occasion dish worthy of honoring loved ones.
- Tamales: Corn dough filled with meats, cheese, or sweet fillings, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and steamed—a labor-intensive dish often made in batches for celebrations.
- Atole and champurrado: Warm, thick corn-based drinks, sometimes flavored with chocolate (champurrado) or fruit, served to keep warm during the cool November nights of the festivities.
- Calabaza en tacha (candied pumpkin: Pumpkin slow-cooked in a syrup of piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar) and cinnamon.
- Favorite foods of the deceased: Families often prepare whatever dishes or treats the person loved in life, since ofrendas are meant to welcome their spirit back with familiar comforts. This could be anything from tequila to a favorite candy.
The idea behind the ofrenda foods is that the spirits return to enjoy the essence or aroma of the food, and afterward, the family eats the meal together, turning mourning into a celebration of memory and connection.
Where to celebrate Día de los Muertos in DC, Maryland and Virginia
Día de los Muertos Festival
- When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 24
- Location: The Perkinson Center for the Arts & Education, 11810 Centre St., Chester, VA
- Cost: Free, or pay what you can
Step into the spirit of Día de los Muertos with a vibrant, high-energy show by the Latin Ballet. Expect colorful performances, craft tables and a celebration that is equal parts heart and hype. It is a festive way to honor tradition, move to the rhythm and soak up the talent of the Latin Ballet. Admission ranges from free, with a pay-what-you-can ticket option, so grab your spot and join the party!
Tip: Embrace the season with family fun and come to the event dressed up! Halloween costumes are encouraged.
Community Exhibit: Altar del Día de los Muertos
- When: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 28-Oct. 31
- Location: Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD
- Cost: Free
The Meadowside Nature Center helps bring people together this Día de los Muertos while embracing what the festival is truly about. To help remember your loved ones and keep them with you, the Rockville nature center has a community altar where people can bring photos, artwork and plants to honor and commemorate family members who have passed away.
Tip: Visitors may contribute copies of photos, objects, flowers and plants, artwork, and nonperishable food in sealed containers. Bring only items that can be left at the nature center.
The Wharf Fiesta
- When: 3-6 p.m. Nov. 1
- Location: The Wharf, 664 Maine Ave. SW, Washington, DC
- Cost: Free; food and drinks are not included.
Walk along the water and participate in jam-packed activities for kids and adults at The Wharf. With sugar skull decorating, cultural performances, face painting and a walk through Modelo beer gardens for those older than 21, there is an abundance of activities for a fun family Sunday.
Tip: Garage 3, located at 602 Water St. SW, is closest to the event. You can also ride the Metro to Waterfront Station and walk five minutes to The Wharf.
Sanya Bathia is a recent American University journalism graduate and local writer for Washington Parent, where she covers the people, places and stories that make DMV unique. With experience writing for DC-based news columns, she especially enjoys exploring travel, community events and local culture.
