San Antonians flocked to La Villita on Saturday wearing colorful costumes, dresses, calavera masks, and intricate face paint in honor of Día de los Muertos. Celebrations will continue on Sunday and countless events will take place across the city through next week.
The event at La Villita is an annual tradition. In 2016, USA Today recognized it as one of the 10 best Day of the Dead celebrations worldwide.
Dara Carrillo drove down from Austin to celebrate the life of her grandmother, Micaela Carrillo ‘Memu.’
“San Antonio is the only place that knows how to do Day of the Dead,” she said.
The event featured 35 unique altars as part of the annual competition, and attendees took in a floating Día de los Muertos altar on the San Antonio River made by local artist Ana Fernandez. The Arneson River Theater came alive with free concerts featuring alt-Latino musicians and bands, and visitors also were able to try out a special virtual reality experience inspired by Pixar’s newest animated film “Coco,” which focuses on the Day of the Dead tradition.
Click through our gallery above to see more moments from the event.
