Dia de los Muertos — Celebrate the lives of lost family + friends during Día de los Muertos. (James Dean Photography)

Día de los Muertos is just around the corner. We’ve got a couple of events happening around Birmingham to celebrate. With local artists, vendors, live music and more, you won’t want to miss these exciting celebrations.

What is Día de los Muertos?

Widely celebrated by Mexico and now worldwide, Día de los Muertos, aka Day of the Dead, commemorates the souls of deceased family members and friends. Those who have passed are remembered by their loved ones through altars, parades, personalized masks and more.

The holiday is celebrated November 1-2, although other days such as October 31 or November 6 may be included depending on where you live.

So, how is Birmingham celebrating? I’m glad you asked.

1. 21st annual Día de los Muertos | Sloss Furnaces

Join Bare Hands, Inc. in celebrating life at Día de los Muertos Número 21 at the historic Sloss Furnaces.

This is one of the largest, most complex and beautiful Day of the Dead celebrations in the South. Here are a few things you can expect to see at the two-day festival:

Art installations + artist market
Food trucks (Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn, Taco Morro Loco, Tamale Queen + more)
Live music performances (America Mariachi, Danza Azteca Xochipilli + more)
Parade procession with puppets
Homemade altars (ofrendas)
Kids activities

All festivities are the same on both days—you do not want to miss this one, trust us.

When: Thursday, November 2-Friday, November 3, 4-10PM
Where: Sloss Furnaces, 20 32nd St N, Birmingham, AL 35222
Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the gate | Children 12 + under are free

2. Día de los Muertos | Social Taco

Social Taco came to the SoHo Homewood community last summer and has been a hit ever since. This year, they’re celebrating lost friends and family and inviting us to join!

Food, music, trick-or-treating, LOTS of margaritas and more—you can find it all at Social Taco’s Day of the Dead event.