Riviera Maya, Q.R. — Mexico is getting ready to celebrate Day of the Dead. From October 31st to November 2nd, Mayan families open their homes and hearts to welcome those who have departed on their eternal journey.
During these days of Janal Pixan (Mayan Day of the Dead), the souls return to share the aromas, flavors and prayers prepared by their loved ones. Janal Pixan is celebrated with altars full of life, candles, wildflowers, tan-chucuá gourds, new atole, fruit and the traditional mucbipollo, a tamale cooked underground that represents the union between heaven and earth, explained the Secretaría de Turismo de México.
Each day has a special meaning: Janal palal is dedicated to the souls of children. Janal nucuch uinicoob is for adults, while Janal pixanoob is the day of the pixán mass, where all the deceased are honored in the cemeteries.
Amid prayers, the aromas of balché and the light of hundreds of candles, the Mayan people remember that death is not a goodbye, but a reunion. Every small town and large city across the country will celebrate Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) in their own custom.
Celebrations are already being prepared from Cancun to Chetumal. In Playa del Carmen, Janal Pixan will be celebrated at Plaza 28 de Julio from October 31st to November 3rd.
In Cancun, Mayor Ana Paty Peralta said that to continue exalting the Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead, the Benito Juárez City Council will present Janal Pixan 2025 Festival.
It will be the city’s fifth consecutive year. Celebrations will be held on October 30 and 31, as well as November 1 and 2, simultaneously in the Puerto Juárez sub-delegation, the Parque de las Palapas and the Los Olivos cemetery.
At a press conference, Miguel Ángel Zenteno Cortés, representing the Mayor, stated that the event is expected to surpass last year’s figure of more than 60,000 attendees, of which approximately 15,000 were tourists.
To facilitate access for the public, he confirmed that there will be free transportation to Puerto Juárez during the four days of the celebration, departing from the Tajamar Boardwalk and El Crucero Park.
Carlos López Jiménez, Director of the Institute of Culture and the Arts, explained that this year the show in Puerto Juárez will be called “Puerto de los Suspiros” (Port of Sighs) for four days starting at 6:30 p.m., and will include a maritime procession with decorated boats and catrinas as well as a beachside performance.
There will be a total of 30 artists under the direction of Saúl Enríquez, and water lighting by prominent Mexican stage designer Ángel Ancona.
Until 11:00 p.m., there will be singers, a catrina contest, musical groups, and local talent on the main stage and an alternate stage in Puerto Juárez, as part of the popular festival.
He noted that the 14th annual Dinner of Souls will also be held in the Parque de las Palapas, a unique traditional event in the city center that will feature exhibits, altars, a bread of the dead contest, music and dancing on November 1 and 2.
Municipal Secretary Berenice Sosa Osorio says to date, 45 altars have been registered for exhibition as well as more than 120 exhibitors including entrepreneurs and food professionals.
As an attraction for attendees, he added that there will be more than 14 life-size catrinas and catrines as well as a 4.8-meter-tall figure of the caricature of Guadalupe Posadas.
Cancun District Director Carlos del Castillo Álvarez noted that Janal Pixan is free and family-friendly and promoted as part of the city’s historical identity.
