The heart of downtown Chapala will be transformed into a Día de Muertos wonderland next weekend, where locals and out-of-town visitors alike can experience Mexico’s unique holiday in vibrant color.
Two days of activities, organized by the Escuela Preparatoria Regional de Chapala and the municipal government, aim to reinforce Day of the Dead traditions and showcase diverse artistic expressions.
The festivities kick off on Friday, November 1, at 4 p.m. with the Prepa (high school) Festival Cultural Vida y Muerte, featuring music, song, and dance performed by students and guest artists at the Fuente de Pescadores, located at the south end of Avenida Madero. The evening culminates at 7 p.m. with a performance of Cascar de la Huesuda by the Ballet Folklórico Ixtlacateotl.
On Saturday, November 2, student groups will line both sides of the main avenue between the waterfront and the Avenida Hidalgo intersection from 7 a.m., setting up Altar de Muertos displays dedicated to distinguished Chapala educators. They will also create a graveyard scene in the atrium of the San Francisco Church, with tombstones representing the resting places of these late teachers, each accompanied by an alebrije—a hand-crafted figure of a fantastical creature. Some students will dress as Catrina and Catrín skeletons to explain the significance and components of the altars, enhancing the holiday atmosphere.
By 3 p.m., the displays will be ready for judging, and the public can view the altars throughout the afternoon and evening.
At 4 p.m., the City Hall lobby will open with an altar dedicated to Elvira Curiel, the late mother of Mayor Alejandro Aguirre, who passed away on May 24. The Chapala branch of the University of Guadalajara will also present a memorial altar honoring the late rector Raúl Padilla López, which will be on display in the gallery of the former town hall building from 6 p.m.
At 6:20 p.m., Prepa students will lead a symbolic candlelit funeral procession, carrying caskets symbolizing the figurative remains of the scourges that plague humanity. The procession will begin at the Fuente de Pescadores.
The festivities will conclude with an 8:15 p.m. performance of Xantolo (Fiesta of Souls) by the Ballet Folklórico del Ayuntamiento.
In addition to these events, Día de Muertos celebrations will also take place on November 1 and 2 in the delegations of Ajijic, Atotonilquillo, San Antonio Tlayacapan, San Nicolás de Ibarra, and Santa Cruz de la Soledad. Program details can be found on the Gobierno de Chapala Facebook page.
As a final note, the Bailando con la Calaca festival will take place on November 9 and 10 at Chapala Plaza, featuring performances by a dozen dance troupes of various genres starting at 6 p.m. each day.