With the support of the Government of the People and the Secretary of Tourism and Identity of the State (SECTURI), Guanajuato Capital is getting ready to celebrate the seventh edition of the Day of the Dead Festival “¡Vívelo en Guanajuato!”, from October 29 to November 2, one of the most representative festivities in Mexico and today one of the most anticipated in the country's cultural calendar.
Aligned with the State Tourism Program 2024-2030, this festival strengthens the state's cultural identity, promotes tourism development in the region and consolidates Guanajuato as a destination with a cultural, artistic and spiritual vocation.
This year 2025, an economic revenue of 291 million pesos is expected, a hotel occupancy rate of 100%, according to organizers, and the generation of 22,346 room nights and a total attendance of 197,800 people.
“Thanks to the support of our Governor, Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo, today tourism in Guanajuato has direction, identity and purpose. Every festival, every street filled and every hotel occupied represents more jobs, more opportunities and more pride for our people,” said Lupita Robles, Secretary of Tourism and Identity.
The event, organized by the Directorate General of Tourism and Hospitality of the Municipality of Guanajuato, received a contribution of 2.5 million pesos from SECTURI, through the Council of the Fund for the Promotion of Tourism (COFOTUR).
The Underground Street, once again converted into the Tunnel of Tradition, will be the epicenter of this great sensory, artistic and cultural experience, which includes the Xempa Circo Dragón, mojigangas, monumental skulls, an interactive ofrenda, videomapping, musical, artisan and artistic presentations, as well as a monumental ofrenda in honor of José Alfredo Jiménez in collaboration with Dolores Hidalgo.
The festival will also feature the Procession of the Little Angels, the Calaveras and Catrinas Parade, the Tapete de la Muerte, and the immersive show Retorno al Mictlán, which celebrates the Mexican cosmovision and the “Guanajuato death” as a symbol of reunion, color and life.
“The Day of the Dead Festival not only preserves our traditions, it reinvents them with art, color and emotion. Here death becomes life, and remembrance becomes a sensory experience that unites the soul of Mexico with the world,” said Robles.
This 2025, San Luis Potosí will be the guest state, while Real de Catorce (SLP) and Catemaco (Veracruz) will participate as guest cities, along with China as guest country, strengthening the cultural exchange and international projection of the event.
The “Live it in Guanajuato!” Festival also generates a direct social and economic impact by employing 600 people directly and 1,200 indirectly, consolidating Guanajuato as a lively, hospitable city, proud of its heritage.
In its previous edition, the festival attracted visitors from China, the United States, France, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica and Guatemala, as well as from different Mexican cities such as CDMX, Puebla, Querétaro, Monterrey, Chihuahua, Sonora and Aguascalientes, in addition to local visitors from León, Irapuato, Celaya, Salamanca, Dolores Hidalgo and Silao.
Beyond the numbers, the festival represents a family and inclusive experience, where generations and artistic expressions converge. 171 artisans from Guanajuato will be part of this edition, along with traditional cooks, musicians, visual artists and local producers, reaffirming Guanajuato as a Guardian of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
From SECTURI, the promotion of this festival is part of a comprehensive strategy that includes other emblematic events in 16 municipalities of the state, which will join the celebrations to pay tribute to life and to those who have already departed, reminding us that in our state memory is not kept, it is celebrated with the heart.
During these days, plazas, streets and historic sites will be transformed into living scenarios with monumental altars, offerings, catrinas parades, music, night tours and traditional gastronomy, where every visitor will be able to feel the magic of our roots.
From León and San Miguel de Allende, to Dolores Hidalgo, Yuriria, Celaya, Purísima del Rincón and many more, each region will contribute its essence to this great celebration that, in addition to strengthening our identity, generates well-being, employment and pride for our people.
“I invite everyone to come to Guanajuato, to walk through its Tunnel of Tradition, to live its magic and feel its heart. Because the Day of the Dead in Guanajuato is not explained, it is lived. And the best of Guanajuato... is you,” concluded Lupita Robles, Secretary of Tourism and Identity.
The calendar of all the festivities can be consulted on our website guanajuato.mx.
Each of these events boosts regional tourism, cultural promotion and economic spillover that directly benefits families in Guanajuato.
