Long Beach’s annual Día de los Muertos festival will return to downtown this November after being canceled last year. It will not, however, feature a parade as it has previously.
Last year, the city canceled all festivities, including the festival and parade, “out of an abundance of caution” after officials said they heard “genuine fears” about federal immigration enforcement in the region.
This year’s free event will be back on a smaller scale, with a festival near Rainbow Lagoon (400 E. Shoreline Dr.) scheduled for 1 p.m. through 7 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1.
It will feature a mix of food vendors, along with “culturally rich performances,” vendors and a resource fair, according to the city. (Specific vendors haven’t yet been announced.)
The festival started in 2014 and grew to include a parade for the first time in 2022, drawing tens of thousands from around the region to see colorful floats, classic cars, dancing horses and ballet folklórico dancers. From 2022 through 2024, a private organizer — Grand Parade Día De Los Muertos Inc. — organized the festival, and the city planned the parade that led to the festival, city spokesperson Laath Martin wrote in an email.
But the third-party company chose not to organize the festival this year, Martin wrote, so the city took over those duties instead of running the parade.
Last September, the City Council approved diverting unspent funds from last year’s parade toward this year’s celebration, giving it a budget of $100,000.
Although this year’s celebration will be smaller, 1st District Councilmember Mary Zendejas said she hopes people will still come out to celebrate with the same enthusiasm.
“I think that it’s important to continue those traditions and be able to celebrate with family and friends, and so I wanted to give our city the opportunity to continue to do that,” Zendejas said.
For Zendaja’s personally, the marigold flowers on the ofrenda she sets up for her family remind her of the “vibrantness of our ancestors’ lives.” Her ofrenda for her father also features a small frog that says “I love you” when you squeeze its stomach.
She encouraged everyone to participate in the “celebration of life that honors those who have passed away,” she said. “Through that celebration we keep them alive in our hearts.”
You can look for updates or apply to be a vendor here.