Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

Day of the Dead: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

Is Day of the Dead today? See timeline • Nov. 2, 2026, 11:41 AM ET (Detroit Free Press)
Photos: DĂ­a de los Muertos at Denton’s community ofrenda • Nov. 1, 2026, 1:03 PM ET (Denton Record-Chronicle)
On Day of the Dead, tourists bump shoulders with celebrating families in San AndrĂ©s Mixquic • Oct. 31, 2026, 5:07 PM ET (CNN)
World’s tallest Day of the Dead sculpture erected in Mexico City • Oct. 30, 2026, 12:30 PM ET (Popular Science)
Philly’s Mexican bakeries are whipping up pan de muerto, or bread of the dead • Oct. 29, 2026, 1:01 PM ET (The Philadelphia Inquirer)

Facts

Also Known As Día de los Muertos ‱ Día de Muertos

Photos

Hand holding an incense stick over a Day of the Dead ofrenda in Puebla, Mexico, with marigold petals, lit candles, sugar skulls, and a basket of bread.
The lady and lord of the dead
Day of the Dead figurines
Colorful Day of the Dead altar decorated with marigold flowers, food, candles, photos of deceased loved ones, and a skeleton figure wearing a red veil, displayed in Oakland, California.
Lucia Padron arranges freshly baked Pan de Muerto on trays in a decorated room, preparing the traditional sweet bread for sale before the Day of the Dead in Mexico City.
Cemetery vigil
Two unidentified Day of the Dead carnival participants in Oaxaca, Mexico, dressed in elegant costumes with faces painted as skulls, looking at each other while dancing.
Oaxacan Calavera
Large crowd gathered at the Day of the Dead Kite Festival in Sumpango, Guatemala, with giant colorful circular kites displayed against a backdrop of mountains.
Animated promotional art for the film Coco shows Miguel playing a white guitar, surrounded by skeleton characters and colorful Day of the Dead decorations in a festive street scene.
See All Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics

Related Quizzes

Mexican Day of the Dead celebration at sunrise.
ÂĄFeliz DĂ­a De Los Muertos! Quiz