Día de los Muertos in Los Angeles: Santa Monica Pier, Forest Lawn and Canoga Park Lead Sunday's Observances
Sunday, November 1 brings a full day of Día de los Muertos observances across the Los Angeles area, from ofrendas inside the Santa Monica Pier's Merry Go-Round to celebrations in Glendale, Covina Hills, Cypress and Canoga Park.
The Santa Monica Pier's seventh annual Día de los Muertos celebration concludes on Sunday, November 1, honoring the legendary Mexican singer and actor Pedro Infante with ofrendas inside the historic Merry Go-Round building. Sunday's free program runs from noon to 5:30 p.m. and opens with a classic car cruise to the pier and face painting, followed by a traditional Aztec blessing at 1 p.m., Santa Monica Ballet Folklórico performances at 2 p.m., mariachi and ballet folklórico at 3 p.m., an address by Ambassador Carlos González Gutiérrez, the Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles, at 4 p.m., and live music by Brotherhood beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Forest Lawn holds its community Día de los Muertos celebrations on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. at its Glendale, Covina Hills and Cypress locations, with decorated altars, larger-than-life Catrina figures, hand-painted alebrijes, folklórico dancing, mariachi music, arts and crafts and face painting; the Glendale, Covina Hills and Cypress programs also feature performances by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. The events are free, with free parking.
In the San Fernando Valley, Canoga Park's annual Día de los Muertos Festival fills Sherman Way between Canoga Avenue and Topanga Canyon Boulevard on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with traditional altars and ofrendas, a catrina contest, a community procession with large-scale puppets, folklórico performances and Aztec dancers. Downtown, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County also marks the day with its own Día de los Muertos program beginning at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
