Chapultepec Forest hosts Day of the Dead festival from 30 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 08:56 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Chapultepec Forest (Bosque de Chapultepec) will host El Sendero del Cempasúchil from 30 October to 1 November 2026 in Mexico City, bringing a Day of the Dead programme to the Second Section. The official cultural listing places the festival at the forest and names the Executive Directorate of Chapultepec Forest and the Pro Bosque Chapultepec Trust as organisers.
El Sendero del Cempasúchil brings Day of the Dead to Chapultepec
The festival takes its name from cempasúchil, the marigold associated with Day of the Dead traditions in Mexico. The official listing describes the route as being inspired by the flower and confirms the dates from 30 October 2026 to 1 November 2026.
The programme reported by Mexican media combines altars, comparsas, music, dance, projections, food and a popular festival area. It also includes 10 installations arranged around the flower theme, making the Second Section the setting for a multi-part cultural programme rather than a single performance. The official festival listing confirms the venue, dates and organisers.
A drone display is also part of the announced programme, alongside a Water Lantern activity at Lago Mayor. The lantern activity is a separate element within the wider festival, so the general programme and its individual activities should not be treated as identical offers.
The Second Section links lakes, paths and cultural venues
The festival is centred on Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor in the Second Section. This part of the forest was inaugurated in 1964 with a recreational and sports focus and covers 168.03 hectares, according to the forest organisation Pro Bosque de Chapultepec.
Its landscape includes lakes, grassland, running circuits, cycle paths and cultural sites. The nearby Museum of Natural History, Cárcamo de Dolores, Environmental Culture Centre and LagoAlgo form part of the section’s wider visitor setting. The festival therefore places its Day of the Dead route in a section already organised around water, outdoor activity and public cultural spaces. Chapultepec Forest background identifies the Second Section’s 168.03-hectare area and its 1964 inauguration.
Across all four sections, the forest covers more than 800 hectares and is classified as an Area of Environmental Value under the Urban Forest category. It also contains museums, monuments, fountains, lakes, trails and wildlife habitats, giving the festival a setting that combines urban recreation with cultural heritage.
What the festival adds to the forest landscape
The choice of the Second Section connects the floral symbolism of El Sendero del Cempasúchil with the existing lakeside landscape. Paseo de los Compositores supplies the route, while Lago Mayor provides the setting for the lantern activity and other announced performances.
For visitors, the practical distinction is between the main festival route and its separately presented activities. The official record confirms the three-day period and venue, while the published programme adds the installations, performances, altars and projections that travellers can expect to find during the festival period.
Visiting Chapultepec Forest: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- El Sendero del Cempasúchil runs from 30 October to 1 November 2026 in the Second Section, centred on Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor.
- The announced programme includes 10 installations, altars, music, dance, projections, food and a drone display; the Water Lantern activity is a separate part of the programme.
- Mexico City’s forest is divided into four sections. The Second Section is the relevant area for this festival and includes lakes, paths, the Museum of Natural History and Cárcamo de Dolores.
- The wider forest covers more than 800 hectares and includes urban woodland, water features, sports areas, museums and cultural venues.
- Mexico is outside the European Union. 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 takes place from 30 October to 1 November 2026 in the Second Section of the forest.
What is Chapultepec Forest?
It is an urban forest in Mexico City covering more than 800 hectares across four sections, with museums, lakes, trails, cultural venues and wildlife habitats.
Where is Chapultepec Forest and how do you get there?
The festival venue is in the Second Section of the forest, around Paseo de los Compositores and Lago Mayor in Mexico City. The section is served by public transport, including Constituyentes Metro Station.
