Muertos Fest Closes Sunday at Hemisfair: Final Day Runs Noon to 9 P.M., With the Procession at 3
The free three-day Día de los Muertos festival at Hemisfair ends Sunday — gates noon to 9 p.m., the weekend's second procession at 3 p.m., and one last day for the 80-plus altars and the Muertos Mercado.
Muertos Fest gets one more day. The free, three-day Día de los Muertos festival at Hemisfair in downtown San Antonio closes Sunday, October 25, with its final day running from noon to 9 p.m., according to the festival's official site. Sunday's program includes the weekend's second Día de los Muertos procession, at 3 p.m. — Saturday's procession stepped off at 7 p.m. — along with live music, cultural programming and family activities through the evening.
The altars are the heart of it, and Sunday is the last chance to walk them this year. The festival carries more than 80 handmade altars honoring loved ones who have passed, and its Community Altar — a shared space where the public can submit a photo of someone they are remembering — is on display all three days, open to all as space allows. What began as a small altar exhibition in 2013 has grown into a festival the organizers say welcomes more than 135,000 attendees across the weekend, billed as one of the nation's largest Día de los Muertos celebrations.
Sunday is also the last day for the Muertos Mercado, which features more than 75 art vendors selling original artwork, handcrafted goods and culturally inspired pieces. The festival's 2026 nonprofit partner is Letras en la Frontera, the San Antonio literary organization that collaborates with UNAM San Antonio; together they have brought back the Day of the Dead Bookstore, which debuted at the festival in 2025, adding literature and storytelling to the weekend. Admission is free, and the event is held rain or shine.
Practical notes for the closing day, from the festival's published guidance: downtown parking is expected to be limited, and attendees are encouraged to consider VIA Metropolitan Transit, ride-sharing, carpooling, bicycling or walking. Blankets are welcome; chairs and coolers are not permitted. Food and beverages are available for purchase on site. Hemisfair is dog-friendly, though owners are asked to consider whether their pets will be comfortable in a large, noisy crowd. Festival maps, the vendor map and the full lineup are posted at MuertosFest.com.
