🎉 Save the Date: Día de los Muertos Celebration! 🎉
🗓 When: Saturday, November 1, 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM (Procession begins at 3:45 PM)
📍 Where: Novato Civic Green, 901 Sherman Avenue
🍴 Traditional foods from Tommy’s Salsa
🎵 Music (Cascada de Flores), community procession, activities, face painting, and a community ofrenda (altar).
Join us for the City of Novato's Día de los Muertos celebration! Come honor and celebrate loved ones who are no longer with us by contributing to our community ofrenda, festive crafts, delicious food, and vibrant music. All ages are welcome! Mark your calendars and invite your friends and family for an unforgettable cultural celebration.
Read below for more information about this event:
Join us for the Día de los Muertos Community Procession—a meaningful gathering where everyone is welcome to honor departed loved ones, celebrate our ancestors, and share in the spirit of Día de los Muertos. Participants are invited to dress as skulls or wear traditional attire, though dressing up is entirely optional. The procession will begin at 3:45 PM from the Civic Green near City Hall (901 Sherman Ave) and follow a short, designated route through the community. Please note that there will be no street closures, so for everyone’s safety, participants must stay on the sidewalks and use crosswalks at all intersections.
Alcohol, real candles, and incense are not permitted. However, battery-operated candles and marigolds are encouraged.
Ofrendas provide a way to honor loved ones who have passed and celebrate the life they lived. There are many ways to arrange an ofrenda. Our community ofrenda will consist of three levels (or tiers) and guests are encouraged to place their photos/mementos on any tier they would like.
Learn more about what the three levels of an ofrenda represent below:
• The Heavens - The top level represents the heavens and serves as one place to identify the loved ones(s) being remembered.
• The Earth - The middle level represents the comforts of earth and encourages the dead to feel welcomed and comfortable. This level can include items like favorite foods, drinks, and more photos/momentos.
•The Underworld - The lower level helps the deceased find their way to the altar and refresh themselves upon arrival. This level can include items like photos, candles, incense, water, and marigold flowers.
To contribute to our community ofrenda, we encourage guests to bring a 3x3 photo* of their loved ones and something special to honor their memory. Guests will have the opportunity to decorate a hand crafted picture frame to place on the ofrenda. Silk marigolds and electric candles will be provided. *(Please use a copy of the original photo. The City of Novato is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged pictures. If you’d like your photo returned, please write your name and phone number on the back. Photos left behind can be picked up at the Margaret Todd Senior Center, 1560 Hill Road, by 4 PM on November 14.)
No alcohol, open flames, or incense is allowed.
Learn more about what the items on an ofrenda represent below:
1. Marigolds – The color and scent attract departed souls and guide them to the ofrenda and family
2. Sugar Skulls– These skulls represent the departed souls in the circle of life
3. Photos/Mementos – Honor and remember a loved one who has passed
4. Incense – Cleanse, purify, and communicate with the spirit world
5. Butterflies – Hold the spirits of the departed
6. Cup of Water – For the spirits to quench their thirst after a long journey
7. Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead)- An offering from the earthly world
8. Papel Picado (Paper Banners) – Represent the wind and the union between life and death
9. Candle- Used to guide and light the way for the spirits
Alcohol, real candles, and incense are prohibited from being added to the community ofrenda.
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