Chapultepec Forest hosts Day of the Dead festival from 30 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 03:21 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- Chapultepec Forest in Mexico City will host El Sendero del Cempasúchil from 30 October to 1 November 2026.
- The festival will take place in the Second Section beside Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor.
- The programme includes music, dance, comparsas, altars, projections and drone displays at 7.45pm and 9.45pm.
- The general festival programme is free, while the lantern activity is a separate special activity.
Chapultepec Forest will host El Sendero del Cempasúchil in Mexico City from 30 October to 1 November 2026. The Day of the Dead festival will bring music, art, technology and traditional elements to the Second Section beside Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor.
El Sendero del Cempasúchil runs from 30 October
The three-day programme combines a themed route with live cultural activities and night-time installations. The festival will include music, dance, comparsas, altars, projections and a popular gathering, according to the published festival programme.
The general festival programme is free. A separate lantern activity in Lago Mayor has its own arrangement, so the free admission statement applies to the general event rather than every activity connected with it.
Chapultepec Forest links tradition with technology
The centrepiece is the Sendero de Cempasúchil, a route inspired by the marigold associated with the Day of the Dead season. A drone display is scheduled on all three days at 7.45pm and 9.45pm, while the wider experience is planned from 2pm to 10pm, as reported by Excelsior's festival details.
That layout places the traditional route and the aerial display in the same part of the forest, rather than treating the event as a city-wide celebration with no fixed venue. Visitors will find the main programme in the Second Section, around Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor.
The site is managed and supported by organisations focused on the forest's restoration and preservation. Its operator describes the urban forest as a cultural, natural and artistic heritage area, as well as a refuge for migratory birds and native wildlife, in its conservation and projects overview.
Visiting Chapultepec Forest: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The festival takes place from 30 October to 1 November 2026 in the Second Section, beside Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor.
- The general programme is free, with music, dance, altars, projections and drone displays scheduled at 7.45pm and 9.45pm each day.
- Chapultepec Forest is in Mexico City. The event site is in the Second Section, rather than at the castle or the museums in the First Section.
- The programme involves a walk through outdoor installations, so visitors should expect movement between the route, the lakeside area and performance spaces after dark.
- Mexico is Spanish-speaking and uses the Mexican peso. Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Chapultepec Forest
When does El Sendero del Cempasúchil take place at Chapultepec Forest?
The festival runs from 30 October to 1 November 2026 in the Second Section. The general programme is scheduled from 2pm to 10pm.
Where is Chapultepec Forest and how do you get there?
The forest is in Mexico City, with the festival centred on Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor in the Second Section. The event reports identify the Second Section as the venue.
What is Chapultepec Forest?
It is an urban forest and a cultural, natural and artistic heritage area in Mexico City. Its conservation role includes providing refuge for migratory birds and native wildlife.
