Coachella Valley Days of Los Muertos

In partnership with various local organizations, Sunnylands will celebrate Coachella Valley Days of Los Muertos on November 3–7. Join us and our community partners as we safely celebrate this annual family-friendly tradition in the gardens.

In celebration of Día de los Muertos, the Sunnylands gardens will be decorated with colorful papel picado (decorative cut paper), nichos (shadow boxes) created by local artists, ofrendas (altars) designed by local nonprofit organizations, and garden boards with take-home activities. Nichos are provided in partnership with Raices Cultura.

Links to our partner organizations and participating artists can be found here.

The gardens are open Wednesday–Sunday, 8:30 am to 4 pm. Some small, take-home crafts will be available on designated boards found throughout the gardens.

On Friday, November 5, the gardens will remain open until 9 pm for the following activities:

• The altars will be lit from 5:30 to 9 pm. Flashlights are recommended for evening viewing.
• At 6:30 pm, Pixar's Coco (2017) will be screened on the Great Lawn. Rated: PG. Run time: 1 hr. 45 min. Admission and parking are free. No reservations required. More details on this activity can be found here.

On Sunday, November 7, local dance group Danza Azteca Citlaltonac will perform a series of traditional Day of the Dead dances from 10 to 11 am, ending with a "Blessing to the Four Winds." More details on this activity can be found here. The altars and nichos in the gardens will remain on view until 4 pm.

Parking and admission to these events/activities are free of charge.

All visitors will be required to wear a face covering while inside Sunnylands buildings. Face coverings are not required outdoors.

For more information on Coachella Valley Days of Los Muertos, please email our education department at education@sunnylands.org or call 760.202.2254.