Día De Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery! | The Zoo

It’s that time of year again where the souls that have passed on return to the land of the living. We’re trading in our pumpkins for sugar skulls and pan de muerto as we get ready to celebrate Día de los Muertos.

The Mexican holiday, now celebrated in many countries, takes place over two days with Día de los Santos on November 1st and Día de los Muertos on November 2nd. One of the largest celebrations outside of Mexico happens every year in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Each year the features a different deity of ancient folklore, and 2022 is the year of Mayahuel – the maguey goddess. Per the event’s website, Mayahuel “has dominion over Earth, the Night Sky, hallucinations, and intoxications…Mayahuel eases our grief and comforts our miseries with her gifts of Mezcal and pulque, the transformative foaming “honey water”, sometimes containing mushrooms, consumed by the Aztecs during spiritual ceremonies and festivals, agricultural blessings, weddings, and fertility rites.”

At the event, the entire campus is filled with the traditional imagery of the holiday including altares, La Catrina cosplay, papel picado, and cempasúchil (marigold flowers) to guide the wandering souls. The festivities also include folklórico dance, musical performances, and various food / drink vendors from the community.

If you plan on attending Hollywood Forever Cemetery , come by and say hola! We’ll be at lot 69 East of the Santa Monica entrance with our own familia’s altar, and with Vibra Alto’s Cindy Canek offering tarot card readings and more.