What Is Day Of The Dead?

Día de los Muertos – aka Day of the Dead in the anglophone world – is an annual fiesta known for its vibrant colours, huge parties and skeletons galore. But why is it celebrated? Here’s what you need to know, plus how to get involved in London this year.

What Is Day Of The Dead?

Day of the Dead is an annual Mexican celebration remembering departed loved ones. Better known in Mexico as Día de los Muertos, the joyful fiesta dates back thousands of years, deriving from the Aztec, Toltec and other Nahua people. They saw death as an integral, ever-present part of life, and believed mourning the dead to be disrespectful. Instead, Día de los Muertos is all about colour, vibrancy and joy.

Nowadays, the tradition is a blend of Mesoamerican ritual, European religion and Spanish culture. It’s based on the belief that, on the Day of the Dead, the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolves, meaning people can reunite with loved ones. It’s widely celebrated in Mexico, where parties and parades take place, and revellers don costumes, drink, dance and play music. At its heart, though, Day of the Dead involves building ofrendas (altars) filled with photos of the departed alongside their favourite foods and drinks. In Mexico, it is also common to visit their graves with gifts, exchange gifts among the living (especially sweets and pan de muerto), and even pen mock epitaphs dedicated to living friends, family members and colleagues.

You might recognise a lot of this from Disney’s 2017 film Coco, which is a great watch to introduce little ones to Day of the Dead (stream on Disney+).

When Is Day Of The Dead?

Day of the Dead is celebrated every year on 1 and 2 November, coinciding with the Christian Allhallowtide season (All Saint’s Eve [aka Halloween], All Saint’s Day, and All Souls’ Day), which is a time to remember, honour and celebrate the dead.

Who Celebrates Day Of The Dead?

Day of the Dead has its largest following in Mexico, where it originated, but much of Latin America also celebrates, as does the Mexican diaspora across the globe, especially in the United States. That all said, the largest group of celebrants is of course the dead, who are called back into the land of the living by their ancestors’ and their ofrendas.

How To Celebrate Day Of The Dead In London 2024

London’s Day Of The Dead Parade

Columbia Road’s annual Day of the Dead parade is back for 2024, featuring vibrant costumes, live music, Mexican food and drinks, dancers, a yoga session, and the parade’s inaugural skeleton bike ride.

Details: Saturday 2 November from midday on Columbia Road (London E2 7RG). The skeleton bike ride begins at 11am from Arnold Circus, with hair and makeup at the Beauty Parlour (67 Columbia Road) from 10am. columbiaroad.info

Day Of The Dead Festival

MexiBrit and Hackney Bridge will host two blow-out celebrations for Day of the Dead 2024, with a theme inspired by Mexico’s Monarch butterfly, known to transport the souls of ancestors. Live music, a Mexican street market, a huge parade, arts and crafts workshops, face painting, dancing and much more will be going on across the weekend, as well as beautiful installations by Studio Cactus, Viridiana Marín and By Vivi, and a heartfelt traditional ofrenda created by UNAM UK.

Details: 2 and 3 November 2024 at Hackney Bridge (Units 1-28, Echo Building, E Bay Ln, London E15 2SJ). Find more details here.

Dine On A Special Menu

London’s Mexican restaurants go all out for Day of the Dead, offering vibrant decorations and special menus to commemorate the fiesta. With tacos, mole and margaritas galore, here are the menus we’ll be checking out this year.

Upstairs At Langan’s Dia De Los Muertos Party

Normally only open to members, Upstairs at Langan’s will be open to all for a special Day of the Dead party this year, drawing eerie elegance and lively spirits together for a night of decadence. Dress in your ghostly glamour, sip on Casamigos cocktails and dance the night away.

Details: Thursday 31 October from 9pm–3am at Upstairs at Langan’s (Langan’s Brasserie, Stratton Street, London W1J 8LB). Tickets are £65pp for non members, including a welcome drink, and can be booked here.

Wahaca

Wahaca’s Day Of The Dead Parade

Wahaca goes all out for Day of the Dead every year, and 2024 is no different. Over at the restaurant’s latest branch in Paddington Square, a huge Day of the Dead parade will take place, featuring performers in traditional costume and gigantic skull masks, Mexican dancers and a Mariachi band performing for passers-by and bringing a tantalising taste of this Mexican fiesta to central London. The restaurant will also be adorned with an enormous Mexican style calavera (skull), and step inside to find more calacas (skeletons), ofrendas and papel picado. On the menu, it’s obviously a Mexican feast, but October also marks the launch of a new menu featuring smoky caramelised pork belly, a whole grilled achiote seabass, roast riverford organic squash, and more. To finish, the new chocolate orange margarita goes down a storm.

Details: The parade takes place on 31 October at Wahaca Paddington (Unit 42, 1 Paddington Square, London W2 1DL), but the new menu and decorations are available at every branch. wahaca.co.uk

Sky Garden’s Day Of The Dead Party

Take Día de los Muertos to new heights this year atop the Walkie Talkie. The 35th floor Sky Garden will be transformed into a Day of the Dead extravaganza, featuring live music and DJ sets, skull painting, dancing and delicious cocktails.

Details: Thursday 31 October from 8pm until 1am at Sky Garden (1 Sky Garden Walk, London EC3M 8AF). Entry tickets start from £65pp including a welcome drink. VIP tables are available for six from £620, while there will be a special menu at Darwin’s Brasseries, too, priced at £84.50pp. Book your ticket here.

Los Mochis’ Fiesta

Elsewhere in the City, Los Mochis will host the ultimate Day of the Dead fiesta featuring live Mariachi bands, dazzling UV skeletons, a carnival of vibrant performers, signature Patrón cocktails and, of course, indulgent Mexican food.

Details: Friday 1 November at Los Mochis City. Tickets are £35 on the door, or you can book a table (minimum spend £100pp) or lounge table (minimum spend £200pp, at least four guests). Book here.