Isla Mujeres Day of the Dead 2026: Pandora, Catrinas & More

Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo — The Municipal Government presented the program for the “Light and Life 2026, Between the Living and the Dead” Festival, a broad cultural and artistic celebration of one of Mexico’s most representative traditions. The festival will take place from October 24 to November 2 in the Island Zone and Continental Zone.

The Municipal Government will celebrate the Day of the Dead with Catrina festivals, altars, contests, parades, music, and activities for the whole family. One of the most anticipated moments will be the star performance by Pandora, an emblematic group of Mexican music, which will arrive in Isla Mujeres on Friday, October 30, at 10:00 p.m. to offer a free concert at the Municipal Esplanade.

Pandora’s performance will be part of a celebration that will bring together music, culture, gastronomy, altars, catrinas, and different expressions related to the Day of the Dead over several days, creating spaces for island families and visitors to enjoy Mexican traditions.

Schedule of Events

The activities will begin Saturday, October 24, with the “Zombie Run Challenge, Youth Night.” On Thursday, October 29, at 8:00 p.m., the traditional Catrinas Dinner will be held at Palapa Chimbos.

Friday, October 30, will be one of the festival’s central days with “Catrín-Arte, Festival of Catrinas, Walking Among the Souls.” The procession will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Avenida Hidalgo, and at 8:30 p.m., the altar display will take place in the Municipal Plaza. That same night, the coronation of the Light and Life Ambassadors 2026 will take place, along with various artistic presentations, followed by Pandora’s star concert at 10:00 p.m.

The celebration will continue Saturday, October 31, with the “Little Skulls Fair, Night of the Girls and Boys,” which will have activities in both the Continental Zone and the Insular Zone. In Ciudad Mujeres, the celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Plaza Ejidatarios, with a children’s show, costume contest, artistic presentations, and the Calaveritas Fair. In the Island Zone, at 6:30 p.m., the Calaveritas Parade will take place on Hidalgo Avenue and, starting at 7:30 p.m., activities will continue at the Municipal Esplanade with a children’s show, costume contest, and artistic presentations.

On Sunday, November 1, the Continental Zone will celebrate its Catrinas Festival starting at 6:30 p.m. in Plaza Ejidatarios, with a Day of the Dead show, altar contest and exhibition, artistic presentations, fair, and carnival. That same Sunday, in the Island Zone, “Hanal Pixán, Night of Traditions” will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Esplanade, with an exhibition of altars, the PIB contest, the Jarana de las Ánimas, and artistic presentations.

The “Light and Life 2026, Between the Living and the Dead” Festival will conclude Monday, November 2, with “Light of the Souls, Night of Youth,” starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Esplanade. The event will include an exhibition of altars, a catrina contest, artistic presentations, and the theatrical work “To My Dead.”