ASU Polytechnic Campus Hosts 6th Annual Día de los Muertos, Free Family-Friendly Event with Live Entertainment, Ofrendas, Crafts and Food
(MESA, Ariz. – Oct. 6, 2026) – Arizona State University’s Polytechnic campus will welcome the community for its 6th annual Día de los Muertos celebration on Thursday, Oct. 29, offering an evening of live mariachi and folklórico performances, food, more than a dozen ofrendas, face-painting, art and family-friendly activities from 4 to 7 p.m.
Presented by ASU’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts and Latinx Oral History Lab, the free event invites students, faculty, staff and community members of all ages to experience the traditions of Día de los Muertos while honoring the lives of those who came before them. Nearly 400 guests attended last year’s celebration, and organizers expect 500 attendees to make their way to the Polytechnic campus this year.
Throughout the evening, attendees will walk luminaria-lined paths on campus to take part in activities, such as making sugar skulls, paper flowers and flower crowns, while enjoying free food, exploring displays of low-rider bikes and cars and engaging with local vendors. As families explore, they can enjoy live performances from Mariachi Rubor, Arizona’s international all-female mariachi band; Ballet Folklórico Quetzalli-AZ, an East Valley folklórico group led by Maestra Vanessa Ramirez; and Grupo Yolloincuauhtli, a danzante troupe recognized by the Aztec Dance Federation in Mexico.
More than a dozen ofrendas, or altars of remembrance, will also be displayed throughout the celebration. Community members are encouraged to bring a photo of a late loved one to leave on one of the altars, while guests wishing to honor veterans and military members who have passed may bring photographs or memorabilia for a special ofrenda hosted by ASU’s Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement.
“Día de los Muertos is about remembering the people who came before us while creating a space where families and generations can experience these traditions together,” said Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez, assistant vice provost of the Polytechnic campus and associate professor in the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts’ School of Applied Sciences and Arts. “Whether someone comes to place a photograph on an ofrenda, watch the dancers and musicians, create something with their children or simply learn more about the tradition, we want the entire community to feel welcome and be part of the evening.”
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is an Indigenous tradition from Latin America with complex cultural roots that commemorates the lives of ancestors and the return of their spirits. Traditional celebrations include ofrendas adorned with photographs and meaningful objects honoring those who have died. This year’s altars will be presented by organizations from ASU and the surrounding community for guests to enjoy.
While 2026 marks the sixth year of the larger community event, it also marks a decade since Día de los Muertos was first recognized at the Polytechnic campus. The tradition began in 2016 after Fonseca-Chávez, while teaching her Chicano literature course, suggested that her students build an ofrenda in the student union as a class project.
“We started with one altar, and I remember people stopping to ask questions and students telling us how meaningful it was to see their culture authentically represented on campus,” said Fonseca-Chávez. “Ten years later, that class project has grown into more than a dozen ofrendas and an event welcoming hundreds of people, while also creating opportunities for our students to research and document the history of Día de los Muertos celebrations in the Valley. It has become something much larger than we could have imagined when we built that first altar.”
For more information, visit asuevents.asu.edu/event/dia-de-los-muertos-day-dead-1.
About the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts
The College of Integrative Sciences and Arts at ASU offers integrative, applied and career-connected learning, preparing graduates for careers across the sciences, humanities, social sciences and veteran initiatives. The curriculum, offered on campus and online, integrates undergraduate research opportunities, community engagement, and connections to local, growing industries via internships, lab work, field-based projects and virtual reality. The college’s career-connected learning opportunities result in 90% of students being hired within 90 days of graduating. The College of Integrative Sciences and Arts’ mission is grounded in academic excellence and accessibility and aligns with ASU’s Charter — measured by whom it includes and how they succeed. More at cisa.asu.edu.
About the Latinx Oral History Lab
The Latinx Oral History Lab, part of ASU’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, amplifies Latinx voices from the East Valley and beyond through cultural storytelling that captures a rich tapestry of community experiences. Led by Co-Directors Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez and Rafael Martínez, the lab is a collaborative and interdisciplinary effort that stiches together the past and present, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of Arizona’s Latinx communities. More at cisa.asu.edu/latinx-oral-history-lab.
