Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Throughout Mexico, Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festivities begin on the night of October 31 and continue through All Saints Day and All Souls Day, celebrated November 1st and 2nd respectively. These are the days when art, religion, life, death, sadness and humor all come together in bright colors, tears and music.

The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Despite the dreary name, El Día de Los Muertos is marked by vibrant bouquets of marigolds, heaping plates of favorite foods and lively parties that all celebrate lost loved ones in the ancient Mexican tradition.

Here in Puerto Vallarta, Asociación Vallarta Centro is preparing for the 4th Annual Día de Los Muertos Festival, and this 3-day celebration promises to be magnificent. In conjunction with the City of Puerto Vallarta, the Deputy Director of Culture, and the Municipal Markets Administration, the Vallarta Centro Hotels Association is planning incredible displays of conventional altars and Catrinas, pan de muerto tastings, and other traditional Day of the Dead activities.

All locals, ex-pats, international and national visitors are invited to participate in one or many of the following activities:

October 31st – November 2nd, 2013

Día de Los Muertos Altars will be located at the downtown hotels listed below, at Lazaro Cárdenas Park, in the Plaza Principal and around City Hall, and along the Malecón and Iturbide, Mina, and Galeana streets.

Catrinas (small paper mâché figures depicting skeletons enjoying daily life, courting one another, or mocking our mortal foibles) made by different groups and associations will be on display throughout Puerto Vallarta. Be sure to walk along Agustín Rodríguez, across from the Municipal Market (a.k.a. the Rio Cuale Market), where a Catrina Expo will be on display.

Vallarta Hotels will have altar displays honoring:
• Villa Premiere - Mártires de Cristo Rey
• Hotel Rosita - Salvador González Gutiérrez
• Hotel Rio - Felipe Carrillo Puerto
• Hotel Catedral - Frida Kahlo
• Mercado Municipal Rio Cuale - Roció Durcal
• Hotel Belmar - Carlos Fuentes
• Hotel Posada De Roger - Elizabeth Taylor
• Hotel Eloisa - Mario "Cantinflas" Moreno
• Emperador Hotel & Suites - Diego Rivera
• Villa Mercedes - Dr. José María Guillen

November 1st, 2013

All Saints Day Celebrations At 7 pm a Celebración a Los Angelitos ("Our Little Angels") will be held at Lázaro Cárdenas Park in remembrance of all children who have died. Local bakeries will be giving away samples of Pan de Muerto - a sweetened soft bread, often decorated with bone-like pieces, that's traditionally baked during the days leading up to El Día de los Muertos.

Gran Verbena con Antojitos Mexicanos Enjoy a true Mexican Fiesta with live entertainment, Antojitos (literally called "little cravings"), and traditional Mexican foods, like tacos, tamales, gorditas, quesadillas, tostadas, elotes, garnachas, menudo, pozole, tortas, as well as fresh fruit, vegetables, and beverages. Mexico has one of the most extensive food cultures in Latin America. Some foreign tourists shy away from traditional food, but it is considered some of the best food that Mexico has to offer.

Xiutla Folkloric Ballet A performance by Puerto Vallarta's Municipal Folkloric Dance Company will feature dances from different regions of Mexico - all dedicated to the dead.

November 2nd, 2013

Día de Los Muertos Fiesta The fun starts at 12:00 pm on Calle Agustín Rodríguez, across from the Municipal Market.

¡Viva la Muerte! Procession This unique parade departs at 5:30 pm from the local cemetery on San Salvador street (a.k.a. Panteon de la 5 de Diciembre) winds along Mexico Avenue, continues down the Malecón, then up Agustín Rodríguez to the Municipal Market.

Festival del Día de Muertos en La Calle At 7:00 pm, Agustín Rodríguez will be closed to traffic for a night of fun on the street, as the 4th Annual Day of the Dead Festival comes to a close with singing, dancing, Mariachi music, folkloric ballet, jineteo and charro performances, plus a Catrinas exhibit, regional cuisine, and a fireworks display.

For more information and the official schedule of events, please visit the Vallarta Centro facebook page.

On the same night, relatives and friends of those who have died will spend the night in local cemeteries. The 5 de diciembre cemetery is the main one visited locally. It is possible for tourists to visit the cemetery at this time, but extreme reverence is expected. This is not a tourist activity but rather a personal and emotional family experience.