Visitors to San Antonio, Texas, can hear the music of Dia de los Muertos before they see the celebration. The upbeat strums of Mexican folk songs waft through the streets of the historic La Villita neighborhood. Last year I had the pleasure of spending a few days in San Antonio during the celebration and the lively concerts held on the Riverwalk stage were a constant soundtrack to our adventures.
But the music is just the start when it comes to Dia de Los Muertos in San Antonio, the largest festival for the holiday in the United States. Throughout La Villita you can spot colorful sugar skulls, or calaveras, decorated by local artists, partygoers in costumes and white skull face paint, and public art pieces.
Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated at the end of October and the early days of November. It’s a time to remember and honor friends and family members who have passed away. During the holiday, those loved ones’ spirits are believed to cross back over into the mortal world.
Households typically have an altar called an ofrenda where they place pictures of their loved ones and foods and items they ate in life that they might enjoy while visiting. Though the losses are sad, the holiday is a festive one, with music, pan de muerto (a sweet bread made for the holiday), and families coming together.
The festivities are primarily centered in La Villita, one of the oldest parts of the city and the first neighborhood established in what is now San Antonio. During Dia de los Muertos a communal ofrenda honors beloved community members. At a stage along the San Antonio River Walk, which runs next to La Villita, performers play live music night and day during the festival weekend, and audiences dance to rock, folk, and mariachi beats.
The highlight of the festival is a river parade. Viewers line the walkways of the San Antonio River Walk to watch more than 26 elaborately decorated barges process down the river. Each barge represents a different figure or tradition associated with Dia de los Muertos and many are sponsored by local businesses. At last year’s parade I had the pleasure of being one of the figures in the procession!
The city-wide San Antonio celebration was championed by local chef Johnny Hernandez, a culinary figure with a Mexican background who owns more than seven restaurants in the city. Though there is a substantial Mexican population in San Antonio, celebrating was mostly done at home before he created the festival program.
Dia de Los Muertos isn’t the only thing to do while visiting San Antonio. The city has a vibrant culinary scene to start. In one day you can sample traditional German breakfast at Schilo’s, the oldest restaurant in San Antonio, taste authentic Mexican dishes at Casa Hernán and carry a craft cocktail through an interactive art exhibit at Hopscotch. One of San Antonio’s most innovative chefs, six-time James Beard Award finalist Steve McHugh, owns two restaurants in town.
Landrace, the most recent addition to this portfolio, celebrates regional Texas ingredients and sources from local heritage growers. Our dinner at Landrace was one of my favorite of the trip. The whole experience was so elegant from the tableside cocktail cart to the elegant plating of local steak.
I’d also recommend touring the city by sidecar, a super unique way to get the lay of the land. Run by the Alamo City native Mancha family, the tour takes visitors through historic and newly developed areas of the city and past some of the most vibrant pieces of public art in town, with a few key stops for coffee and tacos along the way.
While you’re touring the town you’ll spot a lot of beautiful murals. Many of these are the work of the San Antonio Artist Collective, a group of creatives that not only create murals but generate training and opportunities for burgeoning artists as well. They’re a very cool group of people don’t great work for the artistic community of Alamo City and beautifying it at the same time.
Read more about the Dia de Los Muertos celebration in my article for The Bay State Banner and head to Visit San Antonio to plan your own trip this stunning city.