Family Friendly Día de los Muertos Events in LA

On Saturdays throughout October, Self Help Graphics & Art is hosting a series of free workshops where you can learn how to make the traditional crafts associated with Dia de los Muertos. Workshops focus on projects like papel picado, paper marigolds, ofrenda paper cutouts and paper maché calacas. (Note that if you’re working on paper maché, you’ll need to take all four workshops to finish the project.) While the workshops are all-ages, minors will need to be accompanied by an adult.

Workshops will take place from noon to 3pm on ​​Oct. 8, 15, 22 and 29. RSVP via Eventbrite is required to attend.

Sun Valley Youth Art Center is hosting a month-long series of free art workshops for the whole family on Saturdays throughout October. The Día de los Muertos-themed workshops will run from 10am to noon and are open to participants while supplies last. The October 29 session will conclude with a performance from Danza Temachtia Quetzalcoatl. There will also be a virtual Día de los Muertos celebration at 5pm on November 1.

For nine days, the Olvera Street community celebrates the lives that have since passed with its Día de los Muertos Festival. Events begin on October 25 with the first Novenario Procession and ceremony dedicated to Olvera Street merchant family or community members. Theatrical performances of La Danza de la Muerte by Teatro del Barrio are scheduled for 6pm on all nine days.

The bulk of the activities take place between October 29 and November 2, when the altar exhibition opens and face painters will be on-site. More entertainment is planned to take place during the day on October 29 and 30 and in the evening on November 1 and 2. The festival is free to attend although some features, like face painting, are not.

Run in honor of someone dear to you and help raise funds for Olvera Street’s cultural events at this year’s Los Muertos 5K. The race will take you from El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument, through Chinatown and over the Los Angeles River before you head back to Olvera Street. Live performances will take place throughout the course. Afterwards, the festivities continue near the finish line, where you can place a photo of the person or people who live in your memory on the Runner’s Altar. There is a discounted registration price for runners age 12 and under.

The 23rd annual Day of the Dead festivities at Hollywood Forever include two events: Día de los Muertos and Noche de los Muertos - each one requires a specific ticket. If you’re planning to visit with kids, the daytime Día de los Muertos event, which runs from 9am to 3pm, is your best bet.

The Children’s Plaza features the Bob Baker Marionette Theater on the hour between 10am and 2pm; face painting, story time with Lil' Libros, a chocolate making workshop by La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, and Latinx with Plants, which invites guests to honor passed loved ones by potting a plant in their very own decorative pot. There's also a ceremonial procession at 11am and cultural performances throughout the day.

Don’t forget to check out the altars and art exhibition, and make sure to grab lunch from one of the on-site vendors. Tickets are priced between $35 and $150.

Learn how to make papel picado, decorate calaveras or contribute to the community altar at the 9th annual Downey Día de los Muertos Art Festival. Presented by the Downey Theatre, the day-long festival includes art exhibitions, live performances and a car display in addition to food vendors and a wine and beer garden. The family-friendly event is free to attend and attendees should follow @downeyddlmfestival on Facebook or Instagram for updates.

On October 30, everyone is invited to La Plaza de Cultura y Artes in Downtown LA for Día de los Muertos Family Day. The afternoon of cultural entertainment includes Carson-based contemporary folklorico dance group Neiya Arts at 1pm; Grupo Folklorico Princesa Donaji de Oaxaca at 2pm; and women-led son jarocho music group Conjunto Jardin at 3pm. Family Day starts at noon and the event is free.

Altars, folkloric dance and mariachi music are all part of Forest Lawn’s Día de los Muertos events in Glendale, Covina Hills, and Cypress on Sunday, October 30 from 2-4 pm. The event at Forest Lawn Cathedral City will take place on November 2 from 4-6pm. For those who can't attend in person, the celebration from Forest Lawn Glendale will broadcast via Facebook Live.

If you are heading to the Glendale cemetery, make sure to arrive early and give yourself time to explore the art across the sprawling grounds, including The Hall of Crucifixion-Resurrection, “The Last Supper” in the Memorial Court of Honor, “The Poet’s Window” in the Great Mausoleum, as well as the Forest Lawn Museum, which will be showing Bob Baker Marionette Theater: 60 Years of Joy & Wonder. Admission and parking are free.

The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach celebrates heroes and overcoming challenges with this year's Día de los Muertos event, Fuerza y Esperanza (Strength and Hope). The day-long event will feature an appearance from Jorge Gutierrez, whose 2014 film Book of Life helped raise awareness about Día de los Muertos in the U.S. Since then, he created the popular, Annie Award-winning Netflix animated series Maya and the Three. Fuerza y Esperanza will also feature DJs and live entertainment. Plus, you’ll be able to check out MOLAA’s current exhibitions. There’s no cover for the event.

Self Help Graphics’ 49th annual Día de los Muertos Exhibition & Celebration actually begins at Mariachi Plaza, where attendees will gather at 3:30pm for a procession led by Aztec dancers to the Boyle Heights art center. The party itself will feature music from DJs LABellatini and VFresh as well live performances from Brainstory, Spaghetti Cumbia and La Mera Calandaria. A family-friendly gathering, the celebration will also include pan de muerto, as well as other food from local vendors. Shop the Muertos Market for work from local artists and artisans. Guests are encouraged to dress in holiday attire for this free celebration.

For more than two decades, Main Street Canoga Park has been celebrating Dia de los Muertos in the San Fernando Valley with its Family Festival. This year's festivities will include a costume contest and classic car show in addition to altars, live entertainment, and a global array of food options. The 22nd Annual Día de los Muertos Family Festival will take place on Sunday, November 6 from 10am to 5pm on Sherman Way between Canoga Avenue and Topanga Canyon Boulevard. It’s a free event and free parking may be available on surrounding streets.