Día de los Muertos in Philadelphia 2026: the South Philly celebration, Penn Museum, and this year’s dates
Día de los Muertos — Day of the Dead, November 1–2 — is one of South Philadelphia’s biggest community celebrations, built around ofrendas (altars), marigolds, music, and remembering the people we have lost. Philadelphia’s 2026 celebrations are anchored by two official events, both free or included with admission. Here are the verified dates.
Saturday, October 24 — CultureFest! at Penn Museum
The Penn Museum’s CultureFest! Día de los Muertos runs Saturday, October 24, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. at the museum, 3260 South Street in University City. The day is presented with the Mexican Cultural Center and includes a large community ofrenda, performances by local and regional artists, art activities, and altar-building. It is included with museum admission — and free for museum members, PennCard holders, and Penn Medicine patients and staff. If your family builds an altar at home, this is the daytime, kid-friendly way to start the season.
Sunday, November 1 — South 9th Street and Fleisher Art Memorial
The main community celebration takes over the Italian Market corridor on Sunday, November 1, 2026. Daytime programming runs along South 9th Street (Federal to Christian Streets, in the Washington Avenue area) from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., organized by the Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos (AEM Philly) — expect regional stages, mariachi and traditional dance, a Catrinas show, free face painting, and food and craft vendors along the market.
The celebration’s second home is Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine Street, whose official calendar lists its Día de los Muertos celebration that day from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. La Calaca Flaca’s programming runs through the afternoon and evening (4:00–9:00 p.m.), including the community procession and Fleisher’s ofrenda — this year’s altar, “La luz inolvidable” by Gina Pacheco Brito, honors people who died in detention. Fleisher also runs hands-on workshops around the celebration (embroidery, flower-making, papel picado, ceramics). The day’s events are free, rain or shine, and part of PHL250, the city’s semiquincentennial year.
One event we could not confirm for 2026
Indego, the city’s bike-share, has run a free Day of the Dead group ride with the Mexican Cultural Center in past years, meeting at 1001 Washington Avenue. As of October 23, Indego’s ride page still showed the 2025 ride — no 2026 date had been posted. Check rideindego.com before planning around it; we will update this post if a 2026 ride is announced.
If the season is tight
These celebrations are free — and if money is the reason you might stay home, the help on this site is free too. Philly families use our checker to screen SNAP, school meals, WIC, and utility help in about two minutes, and our food programs list pantries across the city, including South Philadelphia. However you mark the day — at an ofrenda, a procession, or your own table — Philadelphia shows up for its families.
Not a government agency. Applying is always free at the official sites.
