Día de Muertos: A Tradition of Remembrance & Connection
For 26 years, Longmont has celebrated Día de Muertos as a community tradition rooted in remembrance, culture and connection.
Longmont’s celebration began in 2001 as an effort by the Longmont Museum and community members to create a greater sense of welcoming and belonging for Latino residents. What began as a cultural initiative in a small classroom has grown into the longest-running public Día de Muertos celebration in Colorado, bringing together more than 6,000 people each year.
At the heart of the tradition are ofrendas – altars created to honor loved ones who have died. Photographs, foods, flowers and meaningful objects transform remembrance into something shared. Over the years, the celebration has grown throughout Longmont, with the City, the Firehouse Art Center, downtown businesses and community organizations contributing exhibitions, performances and activities.
This year’s free Day of the Dead Family Celebration takes place Saturday, October 24, from 11 am–3 pm in downtown Longmont at 4th Avenue and Kimbark Street. The outdoor street festival will feature traditional live music and dance, face painting, sugar skull decorating, crafts, food trucks, a kids’ play zone, local vendors, a Gigantes Procession and more.
Last week, City officials and partners broke ground at the site of Longmont’s future 1st & Main Transit Station, marking a major milestone more than two decades in the making.
The $57 million, five-story facility will create a new transportation hub in downtown Longmont with 10 bus bays, approximately 700 parking spaces, bicycle storage, and connections to Longmont’s growing network of pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure. The station will help support future Bus Rapid Transit service between Longmont and Boulder and plans for Front Range Passenger Rail. Once construction is complete, it will support bus service starting in early 2028.
The 1st & Main Transit Station is part of Longmont’s long-term vision for a connected, multimodal downtown that balances the needs of transit riders, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers while creating connections to jobs, education, housing and amenities.
There is no school Friday, October 16 for SVVSD students, and the Library has fun activities planned for every aged student. Preschoolers and up can come to Storytime with author Lynn Becker from 10-10:30 am. K-5 students are invited to build with us during Open LEGO build from 2-4 pm, and teens who register in advance can attend a free Eco-printing workshop from 2-3 pm.
Celebrate a new chapter at the Longmont Museum! Join us for a free community celebration featuring the grand reopening of our expanded museum following a $10.1 million community-driven expansion. Be among the first to explore stunning new galleries (and the Frida exhibit!), create and play in “DreamLab,” enjoy special programs and tours, and experience all the new ways to discover art, history, and hands-on fun. The festivities begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 am. Activities for all ages will take place throughout the day. View the full schedule of event for the day.
Longmont Children, Youth and Families – in partnership with Timberline PK-8 and the Skyline feeder schools – will host a Family Festival Trunk or Treat event on Friday, October 23. The fun and games happen at Clark Centennial Park Parking Lot. The event is free and features candy, costumes and community. Plus, after the event, Timberline PK-8 will host a drone show at 6:30 pm.
Food and essentials donations are encouraged. Canned goods, drinks, instant meals, ramen, cereal, pantry staples, snacks and hygiene items are welcome. All donations collected will go to Longmont’s Housing and Community Wellness program, supporting individuals in permanent supportive housing. Find details in the Family Festival news release.
Friday, October 23
4:30-6 pm (with a drone show at 6:30 pm)
Clark Centennial Park Parking Lot, 1100 Lashley Street
You may think your jack-o’-lantern is Halloween décor: A bear sees a five-star snack. Bears don’t care about your carefully carved masterpiece, spooky design, or the three hours you spent perfecting that toothy grin. They just see dinner. Help keep your pumpkin safe – and your neighborhood bear-free – by bringing your pumpkins inside this year.
Protect Your Power; Hang On to Your Balloons
Did you know that a single Mylar ballon caught in our power lines can knock out electricity to 1,900 customers? (Ask us how we know.) When those balloons get into the lines, their metallic surface can cause short circuit faults and power outages. So please: hang on to them tight, deflate them when you’re done, and if anything gets caught in the lines – such as a balloon, a kite, or a drone – don’t try to retrieve it. Stay safe, and call Longmont Power & Communications at 303-651-8386.
Free Guided Bird Walk at Sandstone Ranch
Join local birder Carl Starace for a bird walk! He’ll guide you around the Sandstone Ranch loop trail on Tuesday, October 20 from 8:15-11:15 am. Together, you’ll identify a variety of birds that live in the area. This free event begins at the Visitors Center upper parking lot at 3001 Sandstone Drive. Call 303-774-4700 to register.
What You Toss Out Is Up to You
Longmont is working towards a goal of diverting 75% of our waste from the landfill by 2030, and you’re part of that every time you Recycle Right and Compost Correctly. We can’t solve every problem. But when it comes to what we toss out — that’s up to us. Download Longmont’s Waste Services app to see what’s recyclable. We’re in it together, Longmont!
Keep Your Trees Watered this Fall & Winter
Your grass is ready to be put to bed, but keep watering your trees through April if drought conditions persist. For mature trees, slowly soak the soil around the outer edge of the canopy, in four evenly spaced spots. For young trees, provide about 5 gallons of water per inch of trunk diameter once a month. Applying up to 4 inches of mulch over the root zone helps retain moisture, but keep mulch away from the trunk. Healthy trees provide shade, reduce summer water needs, and make Longmont a better place to live.
City Councilmember Jake Marsing’s Virtual Office Hours
Your City Council wants to hear from you to learn how they can better serve Longmont. On Monday, October 19, you’re invited to Councilmember Jake Marsing’s virtual office hours: 10 am-noon. Join him to chat about questions, concerns and challenges that you are facing. Find Council Outreach details.
LET’S CLEAR THAT UP
Q: Why is my cell service so bad and what can I do about it?
A: Nearby Table Mountain is a federal research site that must stay free of strong radio signals. In 2024, researchers found some cell phone companies’ signals were too strong. Since January 2025, they’ve been working with those companies to fix it. (Find out more in this 9News story.) Here are a few tips if your signal is struggling:
Contact your cell provider to see what help they can provide.
For better in-home connections, turn on WiFi calling. This will let your phone make calls over your home WiFi instead of a weak cell signal.
If you’re a NextLight internet customer, consider adding Digital Voice Home Phone for a more dependable in-home option.
Q: What is a sister city?
A: A sister city is a formal partnership between communities in different places, rooted in the people-to-people concept President Eisenhower proposed in 1956. Longmont has three: Chino, Japan (1991), Ciudad Guzmán, Mexico (1998), and the Northern Arapaho of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming (2021). Students can apply now to become ambassadors with the Longmont Sister Cities Association and visit these sister cities through a summer exchange. Anyone in grades eight through eleven who lives within St. Vrain Valley School District boundaries is eligible. Learn more and apply (by November 28) at longmontsistercities.com.
Like me, you probably didn’t think the classic 1942 film “Casablanca” had anything to do with Skyride, Longmont’s terrific new, low cost airport bus. But perhaps we’re mistaken. Check out the cinematographic evidence.
