Jalisco Expands Festival de las Almas to 12 Cities

Jalisco’s Tourism Secretariat and State Entertainment Agency have unveiled the second Festival de las Almas 2026, extending its Day of the Dead program to 12 municipalities. Running from October 24 to November 15, the festival will present more than 350 free activities, including altars, exhibitions, parades, tours, and musical performances. The program doubles participation from six municipalities in 2025 and connects destinations across the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, mountains, Lake Chapala region, agave valley, Los Altos, and the coast. Organizers are presenting the statewide calendar under the theme, one state, many identities, one shared memory.

A Statewide Festival Calendar

San Pedro Tlaquepaque, Tequila, Sayula, Mazamitla, Lagos de Moreno, and Cocula join Guadalajara, Zapopan, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Chapala, Puerto Vallarta, and Zapotlanejo in the 2026 program. The expanded schedule brings local celebrations together to encourage travel between destinations and connect visitors with each municipality’s cultural and tourism attractions.

The participating destinations offer routes from Guadalajara to Chapala and Tequila in just over an hour, while Mazamitla and Lagos de Moreno are just over two hours away. Puerto Vallarta is less than four hours away based on the travel times indicated for the route.

Local Traditions Take Center Stage

Guadalajara will host the El Espíritu del Charro exhibition from October 30 to November 13, with monumental catrina figures in Plaza Guadalajara, Cathedral projection mapping on October 31 and November 1, and a parade on October 31. The city will also offer nighttime theatrical tours of the Belén and Mezquitán cemeteries.

Tlajomulco de Zúñiga will stage El Mictlán from October 31 to November 2, featuring a monumental arch, the Alley of Legends, La Llorona in canoes on Lake Cajititlán, and the Tree of Souls. San Pedro Tlaquepaque will present approximately 80 activities under its Living Tradition, Clay That Transcends program, including an opening parade, El Alabado procession, Walk of Souls, and a procession of catrina brides.

Experiences Across Jalisco

Tequila will pair its agave landscape with cultural tours, a traditional fair, and façade-decorating contests, while Chapala’s waterfront promenade will feature a path of marigolds and City Hall projection mapping. Sayula will honor writer Juan Rulfo with altars and sawdust carpets, and Cocula will present musical performances at the Mariachi Museum and the Templo de la Cruz.

Mazamitla’s offerings include catrina fashion shows and mountain cuisine. Zapotlanejo will display a 22-meter-tall Catrina and cinematic sets honoring the local textile industry, while Lagos de Moreno will feature a horseback parade with formally dressed charros and the Grand Offering of Los Altos Pride. Puerto Vallarta will install Boats of Light and Guardian of the Ocean along its waterfront promenade.

Tourism Through Shared Memory

The Festival de las Almas program positions Day of the Dead traditions as a reason for families and visitors to explore communities across Jalisco. By combining regional celebrations with tourism experiences, the initiative creates a broad program of free cultural activities across the state.