Where to Celebrate Día de los Muertos in Houston, 2024

Score Houston’s viral pumpkin spice-filled conchas and the best food and drink specials in celebration of the Day of the Dead

A Mexican holiday of reflection, celebration, and tribute to ancestors and loved ones who have passed on, Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is especially significant in Houston, where Mexican and Mexican American culture and traditions thrive.

Traditionally observed on November 1 and 2, the holiday honors the ancestors with days of music, dancing, flowers, art, and yes, food and drink — and this year, many local restaurants, bars, and hospitality establishments are welcoming Houstonians to join in on the festivities. Here are a handful of ways to celebrate in the city this fall:

This list will be updated, so check back for new additions.

Check out Eater’s guide to Halloween in Houston here.

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Celebrate in the city

The official Houston Día de Los Muertos Festival and Parade: The City of Houston will host its 4th annual Día de Los Muertos festival, with live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, and a procession traditionally starting around 7 p.m. with a parade of colorful costumes. RSVP for this free event on Eventbrite. from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, November 2. Sam Houston Park, 1000 Bagby Street.

Bari: River Oaks District’s Italian restaurant will host a Dia de los Muertos celebration with face painting, specialty cocktails, a live DJ, and a Catrina costume contest. Costumes and reservations are encouraged. Diners can RSVP by email at info@bariristorante.com or call (832)-915-4222. 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, November 2. 4444 Westheimer Road, Suite A-175, River Oaks, 77027. – Please click here for images by Johnny Than.

B&B Butchers Houston will celebrate the Day of the Dead with drink specials, including Sista cocktails made with tequila, fresh lime juice, Campari, grapefruit juice, and simple syrup; spicy Palomas, and deals on dishes including chicken mole enchiladas ($26), chilaquiles ($16), and churros ($14). 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, November 2. 1814 Washington Avenue, 77007.

Discovery Green

City Place: North Houston’s retail development kicks off its Dia de los Muertos celebrations on Friday, November 1, at 6:45 p.m. with a free showing of the Disney movie Coco in the plaza with complimentary popcorn while supplies last. The fun continues on Saturday, November 2, when the plaza hosts a ceremonial altar from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the community to recognize departed loved ones. Attendees will also get to craft flower crowns, pinatas, and decorative folk art at designated stations, and shop at the open-air market, where local artists and vendors will sell art, jewelry, handmade ornaments, accessories, and more. Loteria, face-painting, pop-up dance performances, mariachi, and live music from Bidi Bidi Banda, Austin’s first-all-star Selena tribute band, will also be happening around the plaza, with plenty of food trucks on-site for those who work up an appetite. 1250 City Plaza Drive, Spring, 77389.

Discovery Green: Celebrate Día de los Muertos on Friday, November 1, with hands-on art activities, artist demos, vendors, and a performance by Nick Gaitan, who will play Tejas roots music, Tex-Mex, and Chicano soul music. Houston artist Angel Quesada will build a community altar, inviting visitors to place copies of photos of their loved ones on the ofrenda in their honor. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, November 1. 1500 McKinney Street, Downtown, 77010.

Hope Farms: Hope Farms will host an interactive and educational Día De Los Muertos children’s event with an on-site ofrenda. Attendees will make marigold crowns and mementos for the altar and decorate healthy cookies. Tickets are $15. 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, November 2. Hope Farms Urban Agricultural Showcase and Training Center, 10401 Scott Street, 77051.

Urbe: Chef Hugo Ortego hosts the annual Day of the Dead party at Urbe, which will be decked out in festive decorations, including beautifully decorated catrinas or skeletons, an hour of mariachi performances, and face-painting. Beyond the lively decor, attendees will get to enjoy custom cocktails made with mezcal and Dobel, 1800, and 400 Conejos tequilas, and interactive stations filled with food and desserts, including tamales, ceviche, tacos, churros, fan de queso, tres leches, and pan de muerto. Servers will pass around bites like birria tacos, chicken taquitos, and gorditas de carnitas while a DJ keeps the party going through the night. Tickets are $85 per person. 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. 1101 Uptown Park, Suite 12, 77056.

B&B Butchers

Verde Garden: This Tex-Mex restaurant, cocktail lounge, and beer garden is hosting a Saturday celebration with food and drink specials, face painting from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by Folklorico dancers and live Mariachi performances at 7:30 p.m. and a live music set by DJs MLKE and Goodfat. Attendees can also contribute to Verde Garden’s ofrenda with pictures of their loved ones and furry friends. Reservations encouraged. Festivities start at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 2. 2817 West Dallas Street, Building C, Harlow District, 77019.

Where to score pan de muerto

• El Bolillo also continues its tradition with pan de muerto and its pumpkin conchas. Available in stores and for shipping nationwide on Goldbelly. Multiple locations.
• La Hacienda Bakery is going viral for its pumpkin-spice-filled conchas, with some people driving at least eight hours for a fix, according to a Houston Chronicle report. Prepare for a line, and be sure to get there early. These conchas sell out quickly. . 180 Uvalde Road, East End, 77015.

Heirloom Interactive

• Urbe will serve handmade pan de muerto, a type of pan dulce or sweet bread, in honor of Dia de los Muertos through Saturday, November 2. The sweet bread, traditionally baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to Dia de los Muertos, is baked in a round shape or dome to represent a grave and often has decorative colored sugars and skulls or crossbones added to represent deceased loved ones. Score Urbe’s cream-filled variety for $7 or opt for its traditional version for $4.50 each. Pan dulce can be ordered ahead of time online or over the phone. 1101 Uptown Park, Suite 12, Uptown Park Shopping Center, 77056.