Mountain View's Día de Muertos celebration returns Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Civic Center Plaza, 500 Castro St., bringing a day of crafts, live music and community altars back to the heart of the city.
The city announced the event's return in a post from its official account, describing it as the award-winning Día de Muertos and promising family-friendly activities and live performances, according to the City of Mountain View
. A local event listing from the
Mountain View Voice
fills in more detail on what attendees can expect, including Catrina face painting, flower-making, sugar skull and flower headband design workshops, plus live music, dancing, a community altar and exhibits, according to the Mountain View Voice.
A Celebration That Keeps Growing
This year's gathering builds on a celebration that has expanded considerably since it began. Now in its fifth year as of 2025, the event had grown massively in size, according to Nancy Ducos, a city multicultural engagement program coordinator, as reported by the Mountain View Voice. That same reporting noted the event had moved to the civic center the year before after community members advocated for separating Día de los Muertos from Monster Bash, the city's Halloween-season event, so the holiday could stand on its own.
Last year's celebration offered a glimpse of the kind of atmosphere organizers are building toward again this weekend. The ofrendas were decorated with marigold paper flowers, sugar skulls and candles as well as photographs of deceased family members, as the Mountain View Voice reported. Performances that year included a mariachi band and an Aztec dance ensemble, adding traditional music and dance to the altar displays.
More Bay Area Options the Same Weekend
Mountain View isn't the only South Bay city marking the holiday on Nov. 7. Daly City's third annual Día de los Muertos celebration is also scheduled that day, running from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 333 90th St., and is free to attend, per a report from the Mountain View Voice. Redwood City has its own gathering planned as well, with a listing describing live performances, food vendors, Catrina face painting, a sugar skull workshop, art installations, a procession and altar competitions.
For Mountain View residents weighing their options, the Civic Center Plaza celebration offers a chance to take part in a tradition that has become a fixture of the city's fall calendar, drawing families together to honor loved ones through craft-making, music and shared altars.
