Colorado’s largest Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration begins Thursday, October 10 with an exhibit at the Longmont Museum and culminates Saturday, November 2, 2019 at an all day Family Fiesta in downtown Longmont. The annual event attracts more than 6,000 people during this time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. The holiday is widely observed in Mexico and other Latin countries. It is a time when the living remember and honor departed relatives. Rather than being a somber time of remembrance, as the name may suggest, Day of the Dead is a time of festive celebration.

This year, the primary Celebration will move to a NEW LOCATION IN DOWNTOWN LONGMONT outdoors at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Kimbark Street. The Longmont Museum is joining forces with the Firehouse Art Center, Longmont Downtown Development Authority, and El Comité de Longmont to bring you the biggest and best Día de los Muertos celebration Longmont has ever seen—all held downtown. The Family Fiesta will feature live music and dancing, sugar-skull decorating, traditional food, altars, craft making, Catrina face painting, and so much more.  Attendees are encourage to dress in their finest calaca (skeleton) apparel. Parking will be available in public lots or on-street in downtown Longmont, or attendees can take a free shuttle from the Longmont Museum to view their exhibit as well.

After the Family Fiesta, attendees can join a procession of dozens of gigantes, traditional giant puppets made by local artists. The procession will depart from the Family Fiesta and walk through downtown Longmont, circling back and ending at the stage on 4th Avenue and Kimbark Street.

To round out the night of Día de los Muertos festivities, Firehouse Art Center will once again hold their Catrina Ball at the Dickens Opera House. The venue will be decorated with candles, marigolds, and traditional papel picado. $15 general admission includes deadly drinks, festive food, live music, and an exhibition of altars. Attendees can get their faces painted at the Family Fiesta and continue the fun while dancing well into the night. Tickets are available for purchase at dickensoperahouse.com.

The Longmont Museum will continue to host its Día de los Muertos exhibition of altars for the dead and art on site at the Museum at 400 Quail Road, read more below.

Full Schedule of Día de los Muertos events in Longmont

October 10 (6-8 p.m.) – Longmont Museum Opening Reception (Free)

October 10 through November 4 (hours vary) – Longmont Museum Exhibit of altars (Free)

October 11 (5-9 p.m.) – Downtown Longmont business altar unveiling and walking tour (Free)

November 2 (2-6 p.m.) – Family Fiesta at 4^th and Kimbark in Downtown Longmont (Free)

November 2 (6:15-7 p.m.) – Gigantes Procession through Downtown Longmont (Free)

November 2 (7:30-11 p.m.) – Catrina Ball at Dickens Opera House ($15 General Admission)

More information on individual events

Day of the Dead exhibition opening reception
Venue – Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road Longmont, CO 80501
Event date – Thursday, October 10
Event time – 6 – 8 pm
Description – Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. Join the Longmont Museum for the Day of the Dead opening reception where you’ll be the first to see an exploration of the iconic female figure known as La Catrina created by artist Ricardo Soltero. One of Día de los Muertos’ most recognizable icons, La Catrina was born out of Mexican social satire depicting the upper classes and is still seen today in celebration of the holiday. Experience this rich history and iconography through these colorful calaca (skeleton) sculptures. Altars for the dead created by community members are also a central part of the exhibition. The opening includes a complimentary deluxe nacho bar courtesy of Cyclhops Mexican Cantina and a cash bar. Learn more at www.longmontmuseum.org or call 303-651-8374.

Day of the Dead exhibit
Venue – Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road Longmont, CO 80501
Event date – October 10 – November 4, 2019
Event time – Monday – Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm; Sunday, 1 -5 pm; Thursday 5 – 9 pm
Description – Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. In partnership with the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Longmont Museum is proud to showcase an exploration of the iconic female figure known as La Catrina in this exhibition. One of Día de los Muertos’ most recognizable icons, La Catrina was born out of Mexican social satire depicting the upper classes and is still seen today in celebration of the holiday. Experience this rich history and iconography through colorful calaca (skeleton) sculptures created by artist Ricardo Soltero. Altars for the dead created by community members are also a central part of the exhibition. Learn more at www.longmontmuseum.org or call 303-651-8374.

Day of the Dead Ofrenda & Gigante tours in Downtown Longmont

Venue – Downtown Longmont
Event Date – Friday, October 11
Event Time – 6 p.m.
Description – For the sixth year in a row, Downtown Longmont businesses will host more than 30 Day of the Dead ofrenda (altar) and gigante displays throughout the Downtown district. Altars and gigantes will be on display from October 11 through November 3.  On 2nd Friday, October 11 starting at 6 p.m., guided walking tours will be offered through Downtown, stopping at several featured altars and gigantes. The tours are free, but space is limited, so reserve your space at www.downtownlongmont.com or contact 303-651-8484. For a self-guided tour anytime, visitors can pick up an altar and gigante map from Downtown businesses or download a printable map.

Day of the Dead Family Fiesta
Venue – Downtown Longmont, 4^th Avenue and Kimbark Street
Event date – Saturday, November 2
Event time – 2 – 6 pm
Description – The annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration is the Longmont Museum’s signature event and the largest Day of the Dead celebration in Colorado, attracting more than 6,000 people to the exhibit, family event, and related programming. Día de los Muertos is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones.

This year we have a NEW LOCATION IN DOWNTOWN LONGMONT outdoors at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Kimbark Street. The Longmont Museum is joining forces with the Firehouse Art Center, Longmont Downtown Development Authority, and El Comité de Longmont to bring you the biggest and best Día de los Muertos celebration Longmont has ever seen—all held downtown! Live music and dancing, sugar-skull decorating, traditional food, altars, craft making, Catrina face painting, and so much more! Come dressed in your finest calaca (skeleton) apparel! Park downtown or take the free shuttle from the Longmont Museum so you can see the exhibit too.

Learn more at www.longmontmuseum.org or call 303-651-8374.

Gigantes Procession
Venue – Downtown Longmont alleyways, start and end at 4^th Avenue and Kimbark Street
Event Date – Saturday, November 2
Event time – 6:15–7 p.m.
Description – Join a free community procession of dozens of gigantes, traditional giant puppets made by local artists. We will depart from the Family Fiesta and walk through downtown Longmont, ending at the stage on 4th Avenue and Kimbark Street. For more information contact Firehouse Art Center at 303-651-2787 or info@firehouseart.org

Catrina Ball 
Venue – Dickens Opera House, 300 Main Street, Longmont
Event date – Saturday, November 2
Event time – 7:30–11 pm
$15 general admission
Description – The seventh annual Catrina Ball at the Dickens Opera House will be an event to celebrate the lives of those who have already made the journey into the Great Beyond. The name, Catrina Ball, refers to the Calavera Catrina – a 1910–1913 zinc etching by the Mexican printmaker, cartoon illustrator and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada. She is offered as a satirical portrait of those Mexican natives who, Posada felt, were aspiring to adopt European aristocratic traditions in the pre-revolution era. La Catrina has become an icon of the Mexican Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

Admission includes deadly drinks, festive food, live music, and an exhibition of altars. Get your face painted as a Catrina at the Family Fiesta and get ready to dance, dance, dance! Buy tickets at dickensoperahouse.com, or contact Firehouse Art Center at 303-651-2787 or info@firehouseart.org. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as Catrinas – with fancy clothes and faces painted like skulls. Dickens Opera House will be decorated with candles, marigolds and papel-picado, and will feature an exhibition including a community ofrenda (altar), a community sugar skull wall, and a Catrina wall with drawings by local artists. Proceeds benefit the Firehouse Art Center and the Longmont Museum. 

FIESTA FAMILIAR 

sabado 2 de noviembre     2 pm-6 pm    admision gratis.
Nueva ubicacion en el centro de Longmont entre el cruce de la calle 4 y la calle Kimbark.
El museo de Longmont se une al Firehouse Art Center, Longmont Downtown Development Authority y El Comite de Longmont para brindarle la celebracion mas grande que se haya realizado por el Dia de los Muertos en el centro de la ciudad. Musica en vivo, bailes, comida tradicional, altares, artesania manual, pintadas del rostro con Catrinas y mucho mas!. Venga vestido con su mejor atuendo de esqueleto!, Parqueo en el centro de la ciudad o puede utilizar el transporte directo desde el museo de esa forma podra ver la exhibicion tambien.

PROCESION DE LOS MUNECOS GIGANTES

sabado 2 de noviembre   6:15 pm – 7 pm   admision gratis.
Participe en esta procecion de docenas de munecos gigantes creados por artistas locales. Saldremos de la Fiesta Familiar e iremos atravez del centro de la ciudad para terminar en el curce de la calle 4 y la calle Kimbark.

LA FIESTA CATRINA

sabado 2 de noviembre    7:30 pm – 11pm  La admision general sera de $ 15.00
en el Dickens Opera House 300 Main Street, Longmont CO 80501
El festejo se dirigira en la noche hacia el Dickens Opera House que estara decorado con velas, flores Marygold y el tradicional papel picado. La entrada incluye excelentes bebidas, comida festiva, musica en vivo y una exhibicion de los Altares. Mantenga su rostro pintado de Catrina desde la Fiesta Familiar y preparese para bailar y solo bailar. Compre los tickets en dickensoperahouse.com