Day of the Dead in Oaxaca 2026

Who is going

What it is, and what it is not

This is not Halloween and it is not a show staged for visitors. It is families decorating graves and home altars, the ofrendas, with marigolds, candles, food and photographs, and keeping their dead company through the night. In many places visitors are welcome, as guests.

Around that, the city fills with comparsas and muerteadas, costumed processions with a band, and with altars in squares, hotels and restaurants.

The cemetery nights

The night most travelers come for is the vigil in the cemeteries of Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, the town by the airport just south of the city. Vigils there are held on the nights of 31 October and 1 November and run from early evening into the next morning, and the crowds were already counted at more than 30,000 visitors in 2005.

Because it is late and outside the center, decide before you go how you are getting back. This is the part of the week people most often want company for.

How to behave in a cemetery

You are walking through somebody's family gathering. Ask before you photograph anyone, never use flash, keep your voice low and do not touch the offerings.

Getting there

Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) is in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, just south of the city, with flights from both Mexico City airports, Benito Juárez and Felipe Ángeles. The flight takes about an hour to an hour and a half. By bus from Mexico City it is about six to seven hours.

Where people stay

Most visitors stay in the historic Centro, within walking distance of the squares and the processions. Jalatlaco, a historic barrio about ten minutes northeast of the Centro, and Xochimilco, a quieter residential area to the north, are the usual alternatives. Whichever you choose, this is one of the busiest weeks of the year, so book early.

Weather

Early November is the dry season. The 1991 to 2020 averages for November are a high of 29 °C and a low of about 12 °C, so expect warm afternoons and a cold night in the cemetery. Bring a layer.

Why go with other people

Late nights, cemeteries outside town, and a lot of choice about which ones and when. Add your dates and you are matched with anyone else in Oaxaca between 31 October and 2 November, or leave your email and hear the moment somebody overlaps.

Questions people ask

When is Day of the Dead 2026 in Oaxaca?

The days themselves are Sunday 1 and Monday 2 November 2026. Around Oaxaca the cemetery vigils are held on the nights of 31 October and 1 November.

Which night should I go to the cemetery?

In Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán vigils are held on both the night of 31 October and the night of 1 November, from early evening until the next morning.

How do I find people to go with?

Add your Oaxaca dates on this page, or leave your email for a match alert. When anybody posts dates that overlap yours, you hear about it.

Questions about Oaxaca

• RuinMyTrip asks: for Dia de Muertos, which cemetery on which night, and which are better left to the families? The 1st and 2nd are the main… · @ruinmytrip (RuinMyTrip team)

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