The 27th annual Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever fills Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Saturday, October 24, 2026, from noon to midnight. This year's theme is "All Under One Sky / Bajo Un Mismo Cielo," and the day is equal parts cultural observance and full-scale festival, drawing families, artists, longtime altar builders and first-timers into the same grounds to honor the people they've lost.
The altar exhibition is the heart of it. Ofrendas spread across the cemetery grounds, ranging from intimate family tributes to large artistic installations, and the craftsmanship is the point. Take your time walking them, read the names and photos, and treat the space with the respect the tradition calls for.
Around the altars, the program runs all day: a ceremonial procession, Aztec dance and ceremony, the Muerte y Tradición stage, the Cathedral art exhibition, a Children's Plaza, and rows of arts, crafts and culinary vendors. The competitive side is real too, with altar awards reaching $5,000 and a costume contest paying $1,000 to its winner.
Live music comes from Dannylux, Trish Toledo, Tropa Magica and Los Shadows, with DJ sets from DJ Que Madre and DJ Dro Barlo among others. It's a lineup that moves from regional Mexican to psych-cumbia and oldies, fitting for a crowd that spans generations.
Tickets are sold through TicketWeb and are required for everyone age 5 and up. Admission is split into three entry windows, noon to 4:00 PM, 4:00 to 7:00 PM, and 7:00 to 11:00 PM, and you can stay past the end of your window once inside. All sales are final, with no refunds or exchanges, and the event goes on rain or shine.
Leave outside food and drinks at home, and no pets are allowed. Hollywood Forever sits at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. in Hollywood. Four nearby parking structures serve the event, and ticket buyers get parking details by email ahead of the day, so read that message before you head out.
Plan to arrive early in your window if you want to see the altars in daylight, then stay into the evening as the stage lineup builds toward the headliners. Comfortable shoes matter; this is a full day on your feet across a large property.
October stays busy across Southern California. The following weekend, Escape Halloween brings Insomniac's Psycho Circus to San Bernardino, and L.A. Comic Con takes over the Convention Center downtown. For more culture events across the city, browse the High Rise events calendar.