Nov. 1 @ 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Republic Square!
The 42nd Annual Viva la Vida Festival & Parade, which was scheduled to be held on Saturday, October 25th, was sadly canceled due to severe weather. While there was no rain plan for the parade, the festival portion of Viva La Vida will live on in combination with the unveiling of Las Calaveras de la Calle 5 at Republic Square on November 1st.
Mexic-Arte Museum, The Austin Convention Center, The City of Austin, and Downtown Austin Alliance invite you to celebrate El Dia de los Muertos at Republic Square with live performances, a pop-up graveyard, the Viva la Vida prop figures, vendors, and more, in addition to the planned unveiling of Las Calaveras de la Calle 5! Let’s unite to celebrate life and honor beloved traditions!
What: Viva la Vida Festival & Las Calaveras de la Calle 5
When: Saturday, November 1, 2025 from 9 am to 3 pm
Where: Republic Square, 422 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78701
About Viva la Vida Festival
Mexic-Arte Museum’s 42nd Annual Viva La Vida Festival is Austin’s largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event. Co-presented by the Austin Convention Center and the City of Austin, this year’s festival will now take place on Saturday, November 1, at Republic Square. The festival will run from 9 am – 3 pm. Participants can enjoy hands-on art activities, traditional foods, local artists and retail booths, a low-rider exhibition, and live performances throughout the day.
About Las Calaveras de la Calle 5
Temporary Art Installation | November–December
Calaveras de la Calle 5 is a three-month, large-scale art installation honoring the 5th Street Mexican American Cultural District in downtown Austin. The project features six monumental skull sculptures installed at Republic Square, each designed to celebrate the rich cultural influences that have shaped Austin’s identity.
Created by Colectivo Última Hora, a Mexico City-based artist collective recognized internationally for their iconic Día de los Muertos installations and parade props, this project blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary cultural storytelling. For this installation, Mexic-Arte Museum collaborated with Austin-based artists Luis Abreux, Luis Angulo (ULOANG), Valerie Chaussonnet, Amado Castillo III, Cindy and Ernesto Hernandez, and Candy Yu Yen Kuo to create a vivid, community-rooted artistic experience.
Each skull is dedicated to honoring the contributions of a distinct cultural group—Indigenous, Latine/x, Black, French, Asian, and Chicano—inviting the public to engage with the histories, stories, and identities that continue to shape the city. This interactive installation encourages both celebration and reflection, fostering dialogue around cultural memory, diversity, and the evolving character of Austin.
Embedded QR codes at the base of each sculpture connect visitors to digital content, providing further context about the artwork and the cultural significance behind each design. These links direct users to the 5th Street Mexican American Cultural District page, co-hosted by the Downtown Austin Alliance and Mexic-Arte Museum.
Celebrated by Mexicans and Mexican Americans alike, as well as others in Latin America, Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead is an important religious and cultural event that synthesizes pre-Columbian traditions and Catholic Church practices. Originating in ancient Mexico, the annual celebration is increasingly observed in the United States as part of contemporary Latinx popular culture. Day of the Dead blends indigenous religious and cultural rituals with customs surrounding the Catholic holy days:
- November 1: All Saints’ Day (prayers said to saints and martyrs)
- November 1: Día de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels, dedicated to souls of deceased children)
- November 2: All Souls’ Day (prayers and offerings made to deceased relatives and friends, especially for souls in Purgatory)
During this yearly event, cemeteries are cleaned. Home and public altars or ofrendas (offerings) are built to honor the dead, who they attract with food, drink, candles, incense, marigold flowers, and objects once favored in their lives.
Photos
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Learn more about the Downtown Austin Alliance! Thank you for your support!
Learn more about the Texas Commission on the Arts! Thank you for your support!
Learn more about the Office of Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME)! Thank you for your support!