Many Canadians may recognize Day of the Dead from movies like Coco or The Book of Life. But beyond the colourful skeletons, marigold flowers and elaborate decorations depicted on screen, the Mexican tradition carries a much deeper meaning.
Known as Día de Muertos, the celebration is a time to remember loved ones who have passed away, honour their lives and bring families and communities together.
In Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, the occasion is marked with several days of festivities, combining traditional customs with parades, music, competitions and community events.
What is Día de Muertos?
Día de Muertos is a Mexican tradition that celebrates the lives of those who have passed away, but rather than focusing solely on mourning, the holiday embraces the belief that the spirits of loved ones return to visit their families.
One of the most recognizable parts of the celebration is the ofrenda, an altar created in honour of someone who has died.
Ofrendas typically include photographs of the person being remembered, candles, flowers, food and personal belongings. Families may leave a loved one’s favourite drinks, snacks or other meaningful items as a symbolic welcome for their return.
Pets are also remembered, with some families including toys, treats and photographs of their beloved animals.
Flowers, particularly bright orange and yellow marigolds, are another important part of the tradition. Their colour and fragrance are believed to help guide the spirits back to the world of the living.
While traditions vary throughout Mexico, the celebration generally takes place on November 1 and 2.
November 1 honours children who have passed away, while November 2 honours adults.
How does Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo celebrate?
While communities across Mexico celebrate Día de Muertos in their own ways, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo brings the tradition to life through a four-day festival running from October 30 to November 2.
The program combines cultural traditions with activities designed to bring residents and visitors together. It features costume competitions, fireworks, elaborate parades, and live music.
October 30
The first day of celebrations brought activity to the streets, with children dressed in costumes visiting nearby restaurants and businesses for treats.
In Ixtapa, the festivities included a costume parade and fashion show, where participants showed off their Halloween-inspired outfits. Judges selected the top three costumes, with winners receiving monetary prizes.
Meanwhile, in Zihuatanejo, fireworks lit up the night sky, officially kicking off the four-day celebration.
October 31
Although Halloween is traditionally a North American celebration, it has increasingly become part of the festivities in tourist destinations like Zihuatanejo.
Children and adults could once again be seen dressed in costumes, visiting restaurants and walking through the streets to collect treats.
The evening also brought a boat parade, adding another spectacle to the waterfront as decorated boats travelled across the water.
Día de Muertos decorations were already on display throughout the area, offering a glimpse of the cultural celebrations still to come.
November 1
As the celebrations moved into November, the focus shifted more directly toward the traditions of Día de Muertos.
November 1 is traditionally dedicated to remembering children who have passed away. In Zihuatanejo, the evening program featured a traditional Catrina parade beginning at 7 p.m.
The Catrina, recognizable by her elaborate dress, decorated hat, and skeletal face, has become one of the holiday’s most recognizable symbols. The parade celebrated this iconic imagery, bringing Mexican art and cultural traditions into the streets.
November 2
The festival’s final day brought the celebrations to Ixtapa, where the evening program included a nighttime race, an altar competition awards ceremony, a pet costume competition, and live music.
Among the festivities was a Día de Muertos pet costume parade, where dogs of all shapes and sizes took to the stage to show off their outfits.
The costumes ranged from Halloween-inspired looks to more playful creations, with dogs dressed as tacos, superheroes and even characters from horror movies.
Each participant walked across the stage before being presented to the judges on a raised platform at the end of the runway.
The competition added a lighthearted touch to the cultural festivities, giving families a chance to include their four-legged companions in the celebrations.
A celebration for the departed and the living
For visitors experiencing Día de Muertos for the first time, the celebration offers much more than the colourful decorations and skeletal figures often portrayed in popular culture.
It is an opportunity to learn about a tradition rooted in remembering loved ones, celebrating their lives and keeping their memories present.
In Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, those traditions extend beyond individual families and into the streets, bringing the community together through a variety of festivities.
While the celebrations may look different from one region to another, the message remains the same: those who have passed are never forgotten.
