Travel Never Ends

Kevin and Ruth – 77 countries and counting!

Day of the Dead celebrations in Valle de Bravo

Despite all of our time in Mexico over the past twenty years, we have never been to a Day of the Dead parade. This year, we made it a point to go!

We actually thought about going to the city of Oaxaca to see their larger parade, but hotel rooms in the central area of the city were stupidly priced, so we decided to stay here.

The parade here in Valle was scheduled to start at 5:00pm, but we know from previous experience with parades in Mexico that they NEVER start on time. Still, we went into town at about 4:00pm and found a great parking spot where we shouldn’t have to deal with any traffic problems afterwards.

First stop was the cemetery.

Colorful floral arrangements with red and yellow flowers arranged on white steps at a cemetery, surrounded by gravestones and a decorative mausoleum.

The Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) is one of Mexico’s most popular cultural traditions. It’s a celebration of life, family, and the enduring connection between the living and those who have passed away. Rather than being a sad occasion of mourning, it is a joyful time when families welcome the spirits of their departed loved ones back for a brief visit. In a typical Mexican town, homes and cemeteries are decorated with colourful flowers, particularly orange marigolds (cempasúchil), candles, photographs, and offerings of favourite foods and drinks, creating a warm welcome for the returning souls. Families gather at gravesites to clean and decorate them, share meals, tell stories, play music, and remember those they have lost. Town squares come alive with parades, costumes, music, dancing, and festivities, while traditional altars (ofrendas) honour the deceased. Día de Muertos is a beautiful expression of the Mexican belief that death is not an end to be feared, but a natural part of life, and that those we love are never truly forgotten.

A decorated grave surrounded by vibrant orange marigolds and a white cross, set in a cemetery with green grass and other graves in the background.
A colorful arrangement of flowers, including marigolds, chrysanthemums, and tropical blooms, surrounding a memorial or altar in a decorative stone structure.
A tumbled gravestone and broken memorials in a cemetery, surrounded by green grass and flowers.
Unfortunately, some are forgetten.
A vibrant flower market with various blooms displayed in buckets along a cobblestone street, featuring vendors and customers interacting and selecting flowers.
Lots of flowers for sale!

We found a spot at the beginning of the parade route where we could sit down while waiting. It finally got going at 5:20pm, which is better than we expected!

A group of young girls in black dresses performing a dance with pom-poms on a street during a parade, while onlookers watch from the sidelines. Colorful decorations and a truck with flowers are visible in the background.
A lively street parade featuring musicians in traditional attire, playing various instruments, with a mix of performers in costumes, surrounded by festive decorations and onlookers.
A parade featuring people in white costumes holding decorated sugar skull signs, celebrating a cultural event. Onlookers are present in the foreground.
A lively street scene featuring a group of people dressed in colorful traditional attire, participating in a festive parade. Many wear floral headpieces and day of the dead makeup, with a mix of black clothing and vibrant skirts. A gray car passes by as they walk down a city street decorated with papel picado.
A group of people dressed in traditional Día de los Muertos attire, including face paint and vibrant clothing, walking in a festive street decorated with colorful papel picado.
A lively street scene featuring a crowd of people dressed in traditional Día de los Muertos costumes, with intricate face paint resembling skulls. Many participants wear colorful flower crowns and black clothing, while the background features festive decorations and a glimpse of a vehicle.
A crowd of people celebrating with face paint and costumes, including a man with a skull makeup, surrounded by colorful decorations and banners.
People in traditional attire with painted faces celebrate a cultural event, decorated with colorful banners and costumes.
A group of children in colorful traditional costumes with green leafy headdresses marching in a street parade, holding wooden staffs.
Children dressed in blue feathered costumes and traditional accessories participate in a cultural parade along a city street.
A person in a traditional skull-themed costume adorned with feathers and intricate patterns stands beside a girl with painted face, in a street setting with parked cars.

Some of the costumes were really good!

A colorful street scene featuring dancers in traditional costumes, including a figure dressed as a skeleton with elaborate feathered headdress and black attire, celebrating a local festival.
A child with face paint resembling a sugar skull, wearing a black outfit and a floral crown made of yellow marigold flowers, with butterfly wings visible in the image.

Some of the facial decorating was really good too!

A performer wearing a butterfly costume with large orange and black wings, adorned with flowers in her hair, takes center stage during a colorful parade, surrounded by others with painted faces.
A colorful parade featuring dancers in traditional costumes and face paint inspired by the Day of the Dead, with vibrant decorations and festive atmosphere.
A person dressed in a colorful costume decorated with blue and white feathers, adorned with elaborate face paint, parades through a festive street, while others walk nearby holding banners and celebrating.
A vibrant parade scene featuring a woman in a decorative dress made of leaves and flowers, walking in front of others dressed in traditional costumes with skeleton face paint. The background shows a blue pickup truck and a festive atmosphere.
A woman with face paint resembling a sugar skull, wearing a floral headpiece adorned with butterflies, surrounded by participants in traditional costumes during a festival.
A person dressed in elaborate costume featuring a skull makeup design, surrounded by vibrant flowers and decorations, holding a staff with a skull ornament.
A couple dressed in traditional Day of the Dead attire, featuring a woman with a large black hat adorned with flowers and a skeleton makeup design, and a man in a tuxedo with skeleton face paint, holding a decorative skull.
A young girl with intricately painted face makeup resembling a sugar skull, featuring blue and orange designs, and wearing a bright pink flower accessory in her braided hair, with a motorcycle partially visible in the background.
Two men dressed in traditional mariachi attire with painted skull faces ride decorative black horses through a festive street adorned with flowers and banners.
Man wearing a white cowboy hat and skull face paint, surrounded by colorful decorations for a celebration.
A person dressed in traditional Mexican attire, wearing a sombrero and face paint, rides a horse with a unique spotted pattern in a vibrant street decorated for a celebration.
A large crowd of people, including children and adults, gathered on a red wall and around a building, watching an event or performance in a lively urban setting.

Lots of people watching the parade!

A vibrant street scene filled with people celebrating, decorated with colorful papel picado banners hanging overhead. Motorcycles line the street, and festivities create a lively atmosphere.
A vibrant street celebration filled with crowds enjoying a festive parade, decorated with colorful papel picado banners overhead.

After the parade, we went and wandered around the central plaza for a bit.

A colorful floral altar design with marigolds, fruits, and candles, featuring a central sun motif and the word 'Mazahua' spelled out in flowers, set in a public space during a celebration.
A large illuminated statue of a woman with a wide-brimmed hat and an umbrella, set in a festive outdoor plaza decorated with colorful lanterns and surrounded by people.
A vibrant, illuminated sugar skull decoration is surrounded by a diverse crowd of people enjoying a festive event. Some attendees are dressed in colorful costumes, while others are taking pictures near the display.
Colorful decorative lights shaped like skulls, hanging above a restaurant called 'Waffles' with a traditional roof and warm lighting in a festive setting.
Group of individuals dressed in traditional indigenous costumes, featuring vibrant colors and intricate designs, posing together in front of a building with wooden windows.

One of the parade groups were posing for a photo at the end.

And finally, I took a five minute long video for you with all the highlights…

It was a lot of fun, and we’re glad we made the effort. After all, everybody loves a parade!

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