Each fall, Milwaukee Domes Alliance hosts its annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration at the Mitchell Park Domes, an evening honoring the lives of loved ones through art, music, food, and tradition.

Día de los Muertos is a joyful celebration of life that takes place each November 1st and 2nd. The Aztecs, also known as Mexicas, developed the ritual some 3,000 years ago because they believed one should not grieve the loss of a beloved ancestor who had passed. Instead, the Mexicas celebrated their lives and welcomed their spirits back from their long journey through Mictlán once a year. Today, the celebration blends ancestral Mexican and Spanish Catholic traditions, reflected through vibrant colors, joyous music, traditional foods, reflective prayer, and using plants, like marigolds, as sensory beacons to guide spirits to the land of the living.

Students from the surrounding community create traditional ofrendas (offerings made in honor of loved ones) in the Desert Dome, and the entire Desert Dome is decorated in celebration of the holiday.

The celebration features a mariachi band, Día de los Muertos dancers, local food and art vendors, educational programming, and hands-on art activities inspired by Día de los Muertos traditions.

Advance tickets are required, and the event often sells out. Details and tickets for next year’s celebration will be posted here. All proceeds benefit Milwaukee Domes Alliance, a private nonprofit that provides cultural enrichment and educational programming on behalf of the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory.

Interested in sponsoring?

Help bring next year’s Día de los Muertos celebration to life. Sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and organizations that want to support this cherished community tradition.

Contact:

Kathy Kortes

Advancement Director

KKortes@MilwaukeeDomes.Org

Interested in vendor and performance opportunities?

Contact:

Holly Brockman

Special Events Manager

HBrockman@MilwaukeeDomes.Org