CELEBRATE WITH US!
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS
5th Annual Niagara Day of the Dead & Art Festival 2025
by Multidisciplinary Artist LuisMartinFlores
Join us for the celebration of Día de los Muertos, a vibrant Mexican tradition rooted in Aztec history. Experience a community offering creation activity!
Family-oriented free event
Sunday, November 02, 2025
11 am to 6 pm
Location: St. Catharines Museum & Welland Canals Centre
1932 Welland Canals Parkway, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7K6
FREE PARKING
We are seeking volunteers to participate in the festival activities. Help us carry on this Mexican tradition. Please send a text message to Tamales Mexico at 647.786.6038
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5th Annual Niagara Day of the Dead & Art Festival 2025
Catrina and Catrin Costume Contest:
Only costumes related to Día de los Muertos will be accepted for the contest.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes
2025 Program
- – 12 PM: Ofrenda de Día de Muertos – Community Offering Creation
- – 1 pm: Acoustic concert featuring La Fondita Musical
- – 3 PM: Ofrenda Exposition and Day of the Dead Costumes Contest (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes)
- – 4 pm: Skatharines, the best ska music concert
- – Kids Zone: Activities for children
- – Food: Enjoy delicious offerings from Tamales Mexico!
Authentic Traditional Mexican Food And Drinks by Tamales Mexico.
https://tamales-mexico-103013.square.site/
Before the Festival: BROCK HUB CULTURE DAYS
In collaboration with Brock University MIW Art Club and the City of St. Catharines Culture Days, you are invited to the “Día de los Muertos” – Mexican Arts and Crafts Workshop.
Are you interested in Mexican cultural traditions? Join multidisciplinary artist Luis Martin Flores for a Day of the Dead Mexican Arts and Crafts Workshop. This family-friendly event will teach you how to create festive decorations, including:
Mini Ofrendas (altars) to honour loved ones
Decorative Calaveras (sugar skull masks or colouring sheets)
Additionally, you will have the opportunity to explore an Ofrenda Exposition, where you can learn about the significance of this joyful celebration.
Reserve at the Ontario Culture Days Website
https://culturedays.ca/en/events/2381add7-1fc6-4d7a-ad83-305adf7de08f
Day: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Workshop Times:** 10:00 AM • 12:00 PM • 2:00 PM
- Explanation of the Day of The Dead festivity and elements used.
- Paint and decorate “Calaveritas de Azúcar” Sugar Skulls.
- Make a colourful carpet with painted wood chips.
Place: Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts
Free family event.
The Day of the Dead is a Mexican festivity from the Aztec times, which has been modified and adapted over the years by different cultures and societies. The main idea is to remember our loved ones who have passed away in a happy ceremony where we can be with them, bringing their favourite food, music, and something unique and mindfully to enjoy for the Day.
Note: In 2008, UNESCO recognized the importance of “Día de los Muertos” by adding the holiday to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
2021 Niagara Day of the Dead Festival
Multicultural festivals are essential to building healthy societies by promoting social harmony through the feeling of community. For instance, most immigrants suffer from isolation at the beginning of their new life; but participating or assisting in a cultural festival, where the newcomers will experience familiar activities like dancing, music, typical food and language, will act as a refuge from their daily lives and mitigate the social isolation and exclusion.
It has been demonstrated that multicultural festivals give harmony and integrate different ethnicities’ cultures, traditions, and heritage. Even more, immigrants want to be adopted into society; they want to share their experiences and traditions, making these festivities a way of giving back to the community and integrating into their new Canadian culture.
(The need for multicultural Festivals, Brock 2023)
2020 Niagara Day of the Dead Festival
Our Goals
The Annual Niagara Day of the Dead & Art Festival serves different purposes:
First, the offering represents a way to continue with the Mexican tradition for the new immigrants to live the ceremony as they did in their homeland Mexico.
Second, to showcase the festivity to teach and pass to our children the
experience and not lose our heritage.
Third, is a way of giving back to Canadian society a little of too many things we have received from our community. Mexican immigrants like to share this tradition to enrich the Canadian culture.
Four, as newcomers, we know the gratification of feeling represented in the community. We collaborate and feel part of a bigger group and are satisfied with making the celebration possible for the newcomers.
Five, The Festival includes different artistic expressions like Music, Dance,
Graphic art and Mexican handcrafted traditions.
Six, a big part of the Festival is sharing our Mexican food and drinks; we bring authentic Mexican products from Niagara’s local vendors.
Seven, part of our mission is to share our heritage with other minority groups and be part of Canadian Culture by explaining and participating in the festivity.
LuisMartinFlores 