If you are in Arizona around Halloween time, by far one of the best events you can attend is Dia de Muertos in Sedona. Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village in Sedona, Arizona is modeled after the city Tlaquepaque in Mexico who is famed for their enormous Dia de Los Muertos celebration on on November 1 – 2nd of each year.

Even though we’re north of the border, the Tlaquepaque Village Dia de Muerto’s event it’s a show stopper and truly a must do event if you’re in the area!

What is dia de muertos?

Dia de Muertos is a holiday in Mexico that celebrates and remembers deceased ancestors and loved ones. To welcome the return of their spirits on this day, those who celebrate will paint their faces to resemble a skull (often called sugar skull) and create alteras (alters) to bring their offrendas  (offerings). The offrendas are ornately decorated with marigolds, candles, other flowers, pictures of the deceased, along with the relative’s favorite foods or drinks.

Getting to the dia de muertos event

The event starts in the early evening, typically around 4:00 but you will need to arrive a few hours early if you want to get a parking spot. Luckily we were on our motorcycle, so we got a spot just 30 minutes before it formally started, but waited over an hour in traffic just to get there!

What to do at the event

If you’re lucky you can snag a spot at one of the outside patio tables or at a restaurant to enjoy live music. There are restaurants serving drinks and food throughout the plaza and we highly recommend visiting the various shops, stores, and art galleries at Tlaquepaque.