Dia De Los Muertos 2021

Pre-COVID Sayulita rocked a Dia de los Muertos celebration that was on a level that any town or city for that matter would be proud of.  Vistors would come on that holiday from out of town to be part of the celebration.  Well, celebrations were understandably subdued in 2020 and though people were certainly out and about this year the planning for the return of the grand event in Sayulita was postponed until 2022.

In the neighboring state of Jalisco celebrations were strong in the downtown area of Puerto Vallarta.  Photos of these giant "Catrinas" started to circulate and I had to share them.  Each state in Mexico has been monitoring COVID and have allowed certain activities to occur if certain precautions based on the levels of infection.

Like everyone else we hope that we can remember COVID as just a bad dream sooner rather than later and all the great events we love can come back in full.  Sayulita is so much about being out and being social and we have kind of forgotten how to do that in the past year and a half or so.

Dia de los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos has become a HUGE draw here in Sayulita.  The multi day festival at the beginning of November has also included Halloween.  Preparations and planning now a full year effort.  Parades, processions, alters, candles, music and decorations fill the town.  Sometimes it is a party and at other times it is a solemn event.  A feast for the eyes for sure and time not to miss.

This video of Dia de los Muertos by our friend Niki.  It is almost 14 minutes long and beautiful.



Dia De Muertos - 2018 from Niki Bhattacharya on Vimeo.

Sayulita Scenes - Dia De Los Muertos

Dia de los Muertos Sayulita style!

Sayulita Scenes - Dia de los Muertos

Downtown Sayulita is currently full of color in preparation for Dia de los Muertos festivities.  Photos by Ed Dorsett.

Halloween And Dia De Los Muertos

Earlier this fall we found a new place to live here in town and for a long while we didn't have internet.  As a result, our ability to post events was interrupted for more than two months.  So, some of the posts found here may be a little dated or just plain out of order.  What do you want for "nuthin'" right?  Enjoy them anyway.

Halloween in Sayulita is a gruesome affair.  Lots of gore, blood and down right creepiness.  The first couple Halloweens spent here in Sayulita the kids went as very tame characters.  Trace has gone as a superhero and a skeleton.  Alex has dressed up as a princess and a witch.  This year the "scare" level went up a notch adding blood, fangs, rotting skin and other costume alterations.  Costa Verde International School's annual Halloween event is always the place to go.  A big social event with games for the little ones and a haunted house for the bigger kids.  The kids love it and many of the adults get in the spirit and dress as well.  

Dia de los Muertos is another thing entirely and should not be mistaken for Mexico's equivalent of Halloween.  The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died.  The kid's school, Escuela del Mundo, participated in a San Pancho community event building it's own alter, a traditional activity on this day.  The alter is often lit with lots of candles and decorated with flowers, photos of loved ones and even favorite items of those being remembered.  Other groups built their own alters, sold food or played live music.  There was even a "Calavera Catrina" costume contest.  This was the first year for the event and very well attended so we hope it happens again next year.

Escuela del Mundo's alter

Alex' friend Luna as "Catrina"

Two different holidays just a few days apart and we enjoy both of them when they come around this time of year.