Living Traditions: Dia de los Muertos in Sedona

• Experience Sedona Dia de los Muertos at Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village with music, dance performances, and colorful decor.
• Take part in the annual Marigold Mural Project, an interactive tradition to honor loved ones by painting a remembrance.
• Turn the celebration into a long weekend at nearby Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel, and enjoy hiking, spa experiences, dining, and red rock scenery.

The celebration known as Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, traces its origins back more than 3,000 years to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Today the holiday is observed throughout Mexico, with some of the most elaborate celebrations taking place in Mexico City and Oaxaca. 

Far from being a somber occasion, Dia de los Muertos is a joyful remembrance of those who have died and a celebration of the enduring cycle of life. Families and communities honor loved ones through stories, food, music, dancing, colorful altars called ofrendas, and other rituals of remembrance. 

If you’re wondering where Dia de Los Muertos is celebrated, variations of the multi-day observance can be found across Latin America, although it’s Mexico’s distinctive traditions that have most strongly influenced celebrations in the U.S.

One of the most delightful places in the U.S. to experience the holiday is Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village in Sedona.  Designed in the style of a traditional Mexican village, this Spanish Colonial-inspired enclave takes its name and inspiration from the town of San Pedro Tlaquepaque in Jalisco, Mexico.  Originally conceived as a working community for artists, it is now home to galleries, shops, restaurants, and a chapel set beneath majestic sycamore trees along Oak Creek. Arched passageways lead to cobblestone walkways, vine-covered walls, courtyards, fountains, gardens, and outdoor sculpture. The village is a beautiful place to wander anytime of the year, but during Tlaquepaque Dia de los Muertos, the courtyards and plazas become especially festive, filled with colorful decorations, live entertainment, and traditional celebrations.

With Dia de los Muertos coinciding with All Saints’ Day Nov 1, the celebration offers yet another reason to spend a long weekend in Sedona. Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel, is just a short drive from Tlaquepaque and provides a counterpoint to the traditional festivities with its contemporary aesthetic that’s designed to blend in with the natural world. Floor-to-ceiling bronzed glass walls and steel immerse each Atrium into a 180-degree view of the surrounding red rock landscape. Whether you choose to linger over breakfast and the view from bed or watch the light change from the rooftop deck with daybed and fire pit, Sedona’s dramatic landscape is part of the experience. 

During your stay, hike several beautiful trails from the trailhead adjacent to the hotel. Set aside time for a treatment or two in Velvet Spa, and relax in the sauna and heated pool.  Dinner at Restaurant Forty1 is worthy of a special night out, with a seasonal menu that features ingredients from the Verde Valley. End the evening stargazing from your private rooftop deck, spotting constellations and the Milky Way in Sedona’s famously dark skies.

Artwork is woven throughout the hotel’s design, creating a connection with the arts and crafts at Tlaquepaque. Together, the Sedona Dia de los Muertos celebration and a stay at Ambiente make for a weekend centered around art, tradition, nature, and time spent with someone you love.

One of the most meaningful events at Talaquepaque is the Marigold Mural Project, an interactive art piece that invites everyone to participate. For several days in advance of the festival, guests are encouraged to honor a loved one who has died by painting an epitaph, name, symbol, or personal design onto a 26-foot-long community remembrance wall.

The mural is overseen by artist Lovejoy, who creates the central Dia de los Muertos imagery and helps participants develop their own tributes. Paints and brushes are provided, so all you need to do is bring an idea or come and be inspired. Murals from previous years are also displayed for inspiration and as a record of those who have been remembered in the past.

During the celebration, visitors will see many of the traditions associated with Dia de los Muertos. Ofrendas (or altars) are created to honor the dead, often displaying photographs of loved ones along with favorite foods, personal objects and things they loved.

Bright orange marigolds are used profusely, as the color represents the sun and the beauty of life, while their fragrance is traditionally believed to help guide returning spirits to the ofrendas. Candles serve as beacons of light, and colorful paper banners with cut-out designs, papel picado, flutter overhead, their movement symbolizing the presence of spirits. Pan de muerto, a sweet bread, is offered as a tempting treat, and monarch butterflies represent the return of departed souls.

Skulls and skeletons appear everywhere. The skulls are spun from sugar and decorated in bright colors. Skeleton figures are dressed in elaborate clothing and accessories, reminding us that death is a part of life. The most recognized skeleton figure is La Catrina, a satirical female elegantly dressed with an oversized hat adorned with feathers and flowers.

Throughout the village, there are large-scale cultural installations, live music, traditional dance performances, and roving entertainment scheduled throughout the day, with many free events like sugar skull decorating. 

Dia de los Muertos is a celebration of memory, connection, and the joy of lives well lived. Spend a few days in Sedona with the one you love, experience the traditions at Tlaquepaque, and enjoy a getaway at Ambiente surrounded by art and nature.

Written by: Babs Harrison

Edited by: Brenna Darling de Cruz