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OKLAHOMA CITY — Downtown Oklahoma City will mark Día de Muertos on Sunday, Nov. 1, as the seventh annual Festival de Vida y Muerte fills Scissortail Park with music, traditional arts and family activities. The free, public event aims to both honor loved ones and spotlight Mexican and Latino culture while drawing visitors to the heart of the city.
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| What | Festival de Vida y Muerte — Día de Muertos celebration |
|---|---|
| When | Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026 — noon to 8 p.m. |
| Where | Scissortail Park, downtown Oklahoma City |
| Admission | Free — family-friendly |
| Presented by | Supermercados Morelos |
The festival is billed as both a cultural showcase and a chance for hands-on learning about the holiday’s traditions. Organizers say the programming is designed for multiple generations — from seniors remembering family members to children making crafts — and for visitors unfamiliar with the observance.
What you’ll see and do
- Community ofrendas honoring relatives and ancestors
- Catrina costume contest and a pet parade celebrating creative dress
- Traditional dance troupes and live mariachi performances
- Local artisans selling crafts and demonstrations of techniques
- Food trucks and vendors offering regional dishes
- Children’s workshops and interactive art activities
Among the performers, Mariachi Los Caporales from San Antonio is scheduled to return, bringing live mariachi to the park’s stages. That musical presence helps anchor the event in familiar Día de Muertos sounds while local dancers add regionally rooted choreography.
City leaders emphasize the festival’s broader impact beyond celebration. Mayor David Holt noted the event highlights Oklahoma City’s cultural diversity and supports small businesses by attracting visitors to the downtown area.
Feature artist and craft traditions
This year’s lineup includes Oaxacan artisan Margarito Melchor, who will display and discuss his hand-carved and painted wooden figures known as alebrijes. Attendees can watch demonstrations of traditional copal wood carving and learn about the colors and motifs that define the craft.
Melchor’s work connects regional Mexican folk art to the festival’s mission of cultural education. For many visitors, seeing the carving and painting process in person provides context that static displays alone cannot.
Why this matters now
As interest in public cultural programming grows, events like the Festival de Vida y Muerte play a dual role: preserving heritage while contributing to the local economy. The gathering offers a low-barrier way for families to engage with traditions and for the wider community to experience customs that are often passed down through generations.
Whether you go to remember someone, enjoy live music, or explore artisan crafts, the festival is framed as an open, community-centered celebration. Its combination of education, performance and commerce makes it one of the larger seasonal draws to downtown OKC on Nov. 1.
For attendees, plan for daytime temperatures and bring comfortable shoes — many activities occupy outdoor spaces throughout the park. Parking and transit options vary on event days, so allow extra travel time if you’re coming from outside downtown.
