Día De Los Muertos Festival 2026

About this event

Celebrate the 22nd Annual Día de los Muertos Festival at Tacoma Art Museum!

Join us at Tacoma Art Museum for our annual Día de los Muertos Festival , presented in partnership with Mi Centro .

Sunday, November 1, 2026 · 10 AM–5 PM

Free · Contributions welcome · All ages

Celebrate life, memory, and culture at our free, family-friendly Día de los Muertos event! Join us for a day of vibrant traditions, creative activities, and opportunities to come together as a community. This is a joyful and welcoming celebration for all ages.

Reserve your free timed entry

Admission is free, but registration is required . Choose an arrival time when you register; once you’re here, stay as long as you like.

Reserve Your Free Time Slot >>

Get the 2026 festival t-shirt

Order this year’s t-shirt online, then pick it up at the front desk on the day of the festival. T-shirts will also be available for sale at the event.

Order at the TAM Store →

What to expect

• Live music and dance performances

• Community ofrendas (altars) created by local artists and community members

• View a beautiful, ornate tapete (sand painting) by artist René Julio

• Hands-on artmaking for all ages

• Food and local artisan vendors

Festival Schedule

Performances

• 11–11:45 AM: Mictantlicutli Danza Group led by Javier Ramirez

• 12–1 PM: Mariachi Real de Seattle

• 2–2:30 PM: SL Cultura Project Ballet Folklorico

• 3–4 PM: Mictantlicutli Danza Group led by Javier Ramirez

Art-making for all ages

Get creative throughout the day! All art-making activities take place on the third floor .

• Mini Tapetes: Create your own small sand painting inspired by traditional tapetes.

• Mini Ofrendas / Memory Boxes: Build a small altar or memory box to honor someone special.

• Printmaking with Eileen Jimenez: Make a print to take home.

Sign up for Mini Tapetes and Mini Ofrendas: Each activity has four sessions throughout the day. Space is limited and available first come, first served. Sign-up sheets will be in the third-floor atrium on the day of the festival, so be sure to add your name early!

Schedule subject to change. Art-making activities are first come, first served.

Food & Drink

All ages: Food trucks

• Enjoy a variety of local food trucks outside in the covered parking lot behind the museum. Open to guests of all ages.

21+: TAM Café & beer garden

• The TAM Café and outdoor Patio facing Pacific Avenue will be a 21+ beer garden for the festival.

• Bring your ID: Planning to enjoy a drink? Please bring a valid ID. We’ll check ID’s at festival check-in for guests 21+ who plan to drink.

• Festival special: Enjoy the Café’s full menu at Happy Hour prices, all day.

• All alcoholic beverages must stay within the Café and Patio. The Patio is open weather permitting.

To help protect the art, food and drinks are not allowed in the galleries.

Parking

Tacoma Art Museum is located at 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402.

Free parking is available behind the museum, but spaces are limited. Please plan accordingly and consider carpooling or using public transportation if possible.

Costume policy

• Masks that cover the entire face are not allowed.

• Masquerade-style masks covering only the eyes and upper half of the face are welcome.

• Face paint may cover no more than half of the face.

A celebration for everyone: This is a celebration of life and community. Harassment or hateful speech will not be tolerated.

Festival FAQ

Do I need a ticket?

Yes. Admission is free, but registration is required . Choose an arrival time when you register, then stay as long as you like. Please have your ticket ready on your phone or printed when you check in.

If you did not register in advance: our staff will be happy to help you register for the next available time slot when you arrive.

Can I bring a bag or backpack?

To help protect the art, backpacks and bags thicker than 6 inches are not allowed in the museum. Please leave larger bags in your car or at home.

Are strollers allowed?

Yes! Strollers are welcome throughout the museum.

Is the festival indoors or outdoors?

The festival takes place mostly indoors, with two outdoor areas:

• Food trucks (all ages): in the covered parking lot behind the museum

• Beer garden at the TAM Café patio (21+): open weather permitting

Can I bring my dog?

Only service animals are permitted in the museum. Pets and emotional support animals are not allowed. Learn more about service animals under the ADA .

How do I pick up my pre-ordered t-shirt?

If you pre-ordered a Día de los Muertos t-shirt, you can pick it up at the front desk any time during the festival. Please have your name and order number ready.

Can I buy a t-shirt at the festival?

Yes. Festival t-shirts will be for sale in the TAM Store during the event and online at tamstore.org . To keep the shopping experience comfortable, the number of guests in the Store at one time will be limited, so there may be a short wait.

Where can I find the museum’s general guidelines and accessibility information?

Please review our Museum Guidelines before your visit for information on photography, outside food and drink, visiting with children, and more.

Accessibility information can be found here .

Questions? Email info@tacomaartmuseum.org .

Support this celebration

Día de los Muertos is free thanks to the generosity of our community. When you reserve, you can add a contribution to help keep this tradition free for everyone. Thank you for your support!

Suggested contribution: $50

Donate Become a Member

Tacoma Art Museum’s Día de los Muertos festival is generously supported by Tacoma Creates , ArtsFund , Tacoma Events and Venues and our wonderful Tacoma Art Museum Members .

Our thanks to Edgar Martinez ( @line_marker_oax ) for our Día de los Muertos logo design.

In proud partnership with:

Mi Centro WA