A 38.5-Foot Catrina Towers Over La Villita as Day of the Dead San Antonio Fills Maverick Plaza
The free three-day celebration at La Villita Historic Village runs through Sunday with giant calaveras, altars and 25 oversized skulls — and on Saturday at 7 p.m., URBAN-15's Carnaval de San Anto ensemble dances through the historic streets to the tallest Catrina and Catrin in the United States.
Downtown's other big Día de los Muertos celebration stands in La Villita. Day of the Dead San Antonio fills Maverick Plaza at La Villita Historic Village, 418 Villita St., with a free three-day celebration running Friday through Sunday, October 23 to 25 — giant calaveras, colorful altars, larger-than-life art, music, traditional Mexican food, face painting and a market of local and visiting artists, according to the event guide published by San Antonio Things To Do.
The star of the show is a towering 38.5-foot La Catrina statue, created by Mexican brothers Jesús and Amauri Sanabria of Artsumex Colectivo de Arte Mexicano. Around it stand giant alebrijes made by artists from Mexico City and 25 oversized skulls, each decorated by a San Antonio artist with its own designs. The festival was founded by chef Johnny Hernandez and has grown into one of the country's largest Día de los Muertos celebrations.
Saturday night brings a procession of its own: URBAN-15's celebrated Carnaval de San Anto dance and drum ensemble makes its way through the historic streets at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, on its way to the tallest Catrina and Catrin in the United States, per the guide. Admission to La Villita is free, and the celebration sits within walking distance of Muertos Fest at Hemisfair — giving downtown two major, free Día de los Muertos gatherings on the same Saturday.
