Coachella Valley Days of Los Muertos
Join us and our community partners on November 2–6, Wednesday through Sunday, as we honor and celebrate Día de los Muertos in the Sunnylands gardens. Guests can walk the gardens as they enjoy some of the customary elements of this tradition: colorful papel picado (decorative cut paper) and ofrendas (altars) designed by local nonprofit organizations. Garden boards with information on the Day of the Dead and small, take-home activities can be found throughout the gardens, as well as two free workshops in the Studio.
This year, a variety of installations will be on display:
- For the first time, students from four Coachella Valley schools will build altars in gardens. The participating schools are Amistad High School in Indio; Cathedral City Elementary School in Cathedral City; Coachella Valley High School in Thermal; and Shadow Hills High School in Indio.
- Raices Cultura will provide large-scale nichos (shadow boxes) and two large calaveras (skulls), all designed by Coachella Valley-based artists, arranged throughout the gardens. There will also be an art installation inspired to memorialize citizens of the Coachella Valley and beyond who passed away during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
- Altars will be installed in the gardens by the following organizations:
- Featured nicho artists
- Grecia Avilez @aaicerg
- Lisa Burford @lisaburford
- Emmanuel Doubin @emmanuelisart
- Clara Nieblas @elotepreparado
- Junior Padilla
- Nancy Ramirez-Legy @nachofairy
- Lazaro Sanchez @anta52
- Shrine @shrineon
Wednesday, November 2
8:30 am–4 pm
Daytime viewing of ofrendas and nichos in the gardens.
Thursday, November 3
8:30 am–2 pm
Daytime viewing of ofrendas and nichos in the gardens.
Due to a retreat, Sunnylands Center & Gardens will be closing early this day. Open 8:30 am–2 pm.
Friday, November 4
Sunnylands Center & Gardens will be open Friday until 9 pm for special evening programming.
8:30 am–3 pm Desert Oasis Healthcare: Mobile Health Clinic
Stop by Desert Oasis Healthcare's Mobile Health Clinic for a free health check. For more details, please click here.
3–7 pm Drop-in workshop: Paper catrina and catrín hats
Bring the family to the Center studio where everyone can create their own paper catrina and catrín hats. Free to participate. Reservations not required. For more details on this workshop, click here.
3–7 pm Drop-in workshop: Día de los Muertos-themed screen printing
Join master printer Dewey Tafoya to create a Día de los Muertos-themed screen print using paper stencils. Free to participate. Reservations not required. For more details on this workshop, click here.
5:30–9 pm Altars and nichos will be lighted. Flashlights are recommended for walking the gardens after dark.
6:30–8:30 pm Film showing of Pixar's Coco (2017) Rated PG. Runtime: 1 hour 45 min. For more details on this event, click here.
Saturday, November 5
Daytime viewing of ofrendas and nichos in the gardens.
8:30 am–3 pm Desert Oasis Healthcare: Mobile Health Clinic
Stop by Desert Oasis Healthcare's Mobile Health Clinic for a free health check. For more details, please click here.
Sunday, November 6
Daytime viewing of ofrendas and nichos in the gardens.
Coachella Valley Days of Los Muertos is a collaborative between Sunnylands and the following partner organizations:
- Cabot’s Pueblo Museum
- Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert
- Coachella Valley History Museum
- Palm Springs Art Museum
- Palm Springs Cemetery District
- Raices Cultura
- Run with Los Muertos
Parking and admission to these events are free of charge. For more information, please email our Education department at education@sunnylands.org.