Thousands of people visited the New York Botanical Garden on Sunday to celebrate the Mexican tradition of honoring their ancestors.

By Sandra Colicino

Nov.1, 2026

People dressed as Catrinas, skeleton figures, during the first New York Botanical Garden Día de los Muertos parade on Nov. 1. (Photo: Sandra Colicino)

The New York Botanical Garden held its first  Día de los Muertos Parade on Sunday. The event celebrated a month-long series of activities and events related to the Day of the Dead, an indigenous Mexican celebration.

Día de los Muertos is celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2. to honor the lives and memories of departed loved ones. It’s considered a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The parade finalizes the month-long celebrations, which started on Oct. 3 with live music, dance performances and hands-on workshops inspired by the holiday.  On Sunday, visitors followed a procession led by musicians, dancers and puppets featuring La Catrina (Día de Muertos skeleton iconic figure) and monarch butterflies displays. The day also featured live performances, dance instruction, cultural activities, crafts, food offerings and communal remembrance.

“We are celebrating the Día de los Muertos showcasing our culture to everyone who came today to the Botanical Garden,” said Abigail De Vera, who paraded at the procession.“We’re dressed as Catrinas, which is the symbol for the Day of the Dead in Mexico”.

The parade’s centerpiece was a large five-tiered community ofrenda, a decorated altar where visitors placed offerings such as pictures or food items to honor the memory of their loved ones. The installation was designed by the artist Blanka Amezkua, a New York based artist from Mexico. She reserved the two bottom tiers  for visitors to place their own items or those created at the Remembrance Table.

“On the Day of the Dead, we’re celebrating our ancestors, we’re celebrating everybody who is a part of who we are. We are here because of everyone who came before us,” said Amezkua.

Ofrenda, installation created by the New York based Mexican artist Blanka Amezkua. (Photo: Sandra Colicino)

Pathways along the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, a recently reopened trail, displayed suspended papel picado (shred paper) banners guides filled with calavera vignettes (skeleton figures), pumpkins and cut out representations of alebrijes, spirit guide creatures of Mexican folk art such as owl, squirrel, hawk, and rabbit souls. Other displays by Mexican artist Edgar Flores, the Saner in this trail were the monarch butterflies cut outs, symbolizing ancestry spirits return and vibrant colorful flowerings such as marigolds and dahlias.

Representation of an alebrije, spirit guide, created by the Mexican artist Edgar Flores, the Saner. (Photo: Sandra Colicino)

The procession featured SonPecadores, a collective of musicians who specialize in playing the janarero, a traditional Mexican guitar.

“I’m Mexican and it’s always nice to have an opportunity to share our culture to non Mexican audiences,” said Paula Sanchez, one of the musicians.