Support Us Button Widget

Preview Kansas City’s 8th Annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration

Pictured is the altar of a past Day of the Dead celebration, complete with lit candles and gifts.

A view of the altar | Photo via the Kansas City Museum

Table of Contents

The Kansas City Museum’s 8th Annual Dia de los Muertos celebration is tomorrow — Oct. 23. The event explores the history + cultural traditions of this holiday.

The history

Día de los Muertos, aka Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated on November 1 and 2. The day is mostly associated with Mexico, where the tradition originated, and honors the dead with festivals + celebrations. Día de los Muertos is also celebrated on All Saints Day and All Souls Day, which are holidays from the Catholic denomination of the Christian religion.
DYK: Día de los Muertos rituals date back some 3,000 years. It was believed upon dying, a person would travel to Chicunamictlánthe Land of the Dead. Before a person could reach Mictlánthe final resting place — he or she would have to go through 9 challenging levels and a journey lasting several years.

What to expect

🗓 Sat., Oct. 23
⏰ 6-9 p.m.
📍 Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City, MO
***Pro Tip: Enter from Indiana Ave.
🎟 Tickets are $5 for adults + children 12 and under are free
💀 Viewing is restricted to the altar to maintain COVID-19 safety protocols.

Only the first floor of the museum will be open. There will be live mariachi music by Mariachi Estrella KC, Glow Day of the Dead Puppets by StoneLion Puppet Theatre + live performances by Grupo Folklorico Izcalli.

Remember, all items placed at the community altar will not be returned.

More from KCtoday
The 300+ projects slimming down streets have less to do with aesthetics and more to do with driver safety.
Use these fall foliage predictions to plan your scenic drives in and around Kansas City this autumn.
We broke down the cost of living in Kansas City, including rent, housing, and other expenses, and compared it to other locations.
From well-loved dives to upscale eateries — there’s no shortage of local spots soak up the sports frenzy with fellow super fans.
The store finds vacant retail spaces and signs temporary leases to set up shop leading up to Halloween — but locations can change each year.
Dining in Kansas City is always a fresh experience with new restaurants popping up all the time — and more on the way.
Step into the Augusts of Kansas City’s past with archived photos from the 1920s to the 1960s.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
It’s the end of the line for our series tracing the eight new Main Street Extension stops before passenger service kicks off in October.
Chiefs glory, Royals rebuilds, and a brand-new soccer stadium put Kansas City sports in the AI sweet spot.