Fiestas de Octubre Guadalajara &
Day of the Dead Celebrations 2026

Guadalajara Fiestas de Octubre Guadalajara & Day of the Dead 2026

Guadalajara celebrates autumn with a huge programme of concerts, food, Mexican traditions and live entertainment during Fiestas de Octubre, followed by one of the best periods of the year to experience Día de Muertos in Jalisco.

• Are you visiting Guadalajara? The Central or eastern area of Zona Centro makes the perfect base to explore the city. It is full of pedestrian-only streets, charming hotels, and feels safe. The DoubleTree by Hilton Guadalajara Centro Historico is rated fabulous and has a wide range of breakfast options, rooms with great views and high-end amenities.

Fiestas de Octubre

• Next edition: Friday, October 2, 2026 To Monday, November 2, 2026.
• This is the 61st edition of one of western Mexico’s largest annual festivals.
• The 2026 theme is “Jalisco, el corazón de México.”
• The main fairgrounds are in Zapopan at the newly renovated Auditorio Jalisco.
• Expect amusement rides, food stalls, regional products, exhibitions and entertainment throughout the fairgrounds.
• The Foro Principal hosts a different major show almost every night.
• A separate Palenque programme features some of Mexico’s biggest regional, pop and Latin performers.
• Guadalajara’s Día de Muertos programme overlaps with the closing days of Fiestas de Octubre, making the final weekend particularly good for a visit.

The Fairgrounds

• The main Fiestas de Octubre celebrations take place at Auditorio Jalisco on Avenida Mariano Bárcena in Zapopan.
• This is a full-scale Mexican fair rather than simply a concert series. Expect rides, food, shopping, cultural exhibitions and entertainment throughout the grounds, with the Foro Principal providing the main nightly performance.
• Many Foro Principal shows are accessible with general fair admission, with preferred areas sold separately for selected artists.
• The separate Palenque operates within the complex with individually ticketed performances.

Concert Highlights

The official Fiestas de Octubre programme has a substantial line-up across the month.

Highlights include:

Date	Event	Venue
Sat 3	Ha*Ash	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Thur 8	Gloria Trevi	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Wed 14	Kenia OS	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Fri 16	Beto Cuevas & Caloncho	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Mon 19	Leonardo Aguilar	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Thur 22	Reik	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Sat 24	Water Castle with Don Diablo	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Tue 27	Farruko	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Thur 29	Manuel Turizo	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Sun 1	El Tri	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre
Mon 2	Carlos Rivera	Foro Principal – Fiestas de Octubre

Romería de Zapopan

• One of the most significant events taking place during October is the Romería de Zapopan on Monday 12th October 2026.
• The pilgrimage begins at Guadalajara’s Metropolitan Cathedral and accompanies the Virgin of Zapopan back to the Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan.
• The procession covers approximately 9 kilometres and attracts vast crowds, dancers, musicians and religious groups.
• The tradition dates to 1734 and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018.
• Expect major road closures and transport changes across Guadalajara and Zapopan during the procession.

Día de Muertos in Guadalajara

• The closing weekend of Fiestas de Octubre overlaps with Festival de las Almas Jalisco, a major Día de Muertos programme taking over Guadalajara’s historic centre.
• Guadalajara’s programme runs from Friday 30th October to Friday 13th November with over 40 activities.
• The city centre is transformed with monumental Catrinas, flowers, altars, illuminated cemeteries, performances and evening events.

Día de Muertos Parade

• The main Guadalajara Día de Muertos parade takes place on Saturday 31st October from 6 pm to 8 pm.
• The procession travels from Avenida México and Chapultepec towards Plaza de la Liberación, bringing Catrinas, performers and traditional Día de Muertos imagery into the city centre.
• Check the official Guadalajara Festival de las Almas programme for updates.

Día de Muertos Highlights

Several events are worth building into your visit:

• Guadalajara Cathedral – Día de Muertos videomapping transforms the cathedral façade on Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November.
• Panteón de Belén – One of Guadalajara’s historic cemeteries, with a monumental altar and extended evening visits from Tuesday 27th October to Wednesday 4th November.
• Panteón de Mezquitán – Illuminated mausoleums, graves and theatrical cemetery tours on Saturday 31st October, Sunday 1st November and Monday 2nd November.
• Parque Morelos – Home to the traditional Feria del Cartón, celebrating more than 75 years of Mexican cartonería and handmade toys.
• Plaza Guadalajara – Look for the monumental Catrinas installed as part of the city celebrations.
• Paseo Fray Antonio Alcalde – The Camino al Cielo installation fills the pedestrian route with flowers, lights and monarch butterflies.

Calaverandia

• Calaverandia has become one of Guadalajara’s best-known contemporary Día de Muertos attractions.
• The immersive experience traditionally takes over Parque Ávila Camacho with themed installations, light shows, performances and attractions inspired by Mexican Día de Muertos traditions.
• Do not confuse Calaverandia with the city’s official Festival de las Almas programme. They are separate events.

laquepaque

• Take time to visit Tlaquepaque during Día de Muertos.
• Its historic centre traditionally fills with altars, Catrina displays, decorated streets, food, mariachi and Día de Muertos activities.
• The pedestrian streets around El Parián make it particularly easy to combine the celebrations with dinner, tequila and mariachi.

Gay Guadalajara

Guadalajara has one of Mexico’s largest LGBTQ+ nightlife scenes, split mainly between Centro and Colonia Americana.

After the festival, try:

• California’s Bar – Avenida 8 de Julio 652. Popular gay video bar in Centro with pop, cumbia, affordable drinks and a young late-night crowd.
• Green Light – Calle Francisco I. Madero 494. Gay bar with a terrace, drag, dancers and music, opening from the afternoon into late night.
• Gozadera Bar-Club – Manuel López Cotilla 611. Multi-level LGBTQ+ bar and club with pop, drag, dancers and a busy weekend crowd.
• Eagle GDL – Prisciliano Sánchez 163. Gay bar with a predominantly male crowd and a stronger bear and fetish feel than Guadalajara’s pop-oriented clubs.
• Babel Club – José María Morelos 741. Large gay club with DJs, performances and a late-night dance floor.

Centro works well for bar hopping, with several venues relatively close together. Colonia Americana offers a broader mix of cocktail bars, restaurants and LGBTQ+ nightlife.

Where to Stay

For this trip, stay in Zona Centro.

Colonia Americana is best for restaurants, cocktails and nightlife. Centro Histórico works better if the Día de Muertos programme and major cultural sights are your priority.

• Villa Ganz Boutique Hotel – Elegant boutique hotel in a restored mansion in Colonia Americana/Lafayette, with just a small collection of individually styled suites and a peaceful garden. A strong choice for restaurants and nightlife nearby
• Casa Habita – Stylish boutique property in the Lafayette/Americana area with a rooftop pool and modern Mexican design. Pick this for a more intimate stay close to Avenida Chapultepec.
• Bellwort Hotel – Contemporary hotel close to Colonia Americana with a rooftop pool and easy access to restaurants and nightlife.
• Hotel Morales Historical & Colonial Downtown Core – Historic hotel in Centro, well positioned for the Cathedral, Plaza de la Liberación and the main Día de Muertos programme.

Plan Your Visit

• Visit during the first half of October if Fiestas de Octubre and the Romería are your priorities.
• Choose the final weekend if you want the strongest combination of Fiestas de Octubre and Día de Muertos. Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November bring together the closing festival programme, the Día de Muertos parade, cathedral videomapping, cemetery events and city-centre installations.
• The main Fiestas de Octubre fairgrounds are in Zapopan, so don’t choose your hotel purely for proximity to the venue. Colonia Americana or Centro gives you a much better base for exploring Guadalajara outside the fair.

Official Information

• Check the official Fiestas de Octubre website for the concert programme and tickets.
• See Festival de las Almas – Guadalajara for the confirmed 2026 Día de Muertos programme.
• See the official Romería de Zapopan guide for the Monday 12th October procession.
• Check Calaverandia for its separate 2026 season announcement.