Dia De los Muertos 2026 in Kelowna: What to Expect at This Year’s Celebration
Updated: Oct 13
For many of us who have built a life far from the country where we grew up, traditions can become more than celebrations. They can help us stay connected to family, memory and the places that shaped us and sometimes make a new home feel a little closer to the old one.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition centred on remembering and honouring loved ones who have died. UNESCO recognizes the Indigenous festivity dedicated to the dead as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, reflecting the importance of memory, family and community in the tradition.
Celebrating traditions like this in the Okanagan gives Latin American families a chance to keep cultural roots visible, share them with younger generations, and create spaces where people can connect, heal and feel at home even while living far away. It also opens the door for neighbours from other backgrounds to experience those traditions respectfully and together with the community sharing them.
If you want a deeper look at the history, symbols and meaning behind the celebration, read our article “El Día de los Muertos llega al Okanagan.”
Día de los Muertos 2026 in Kelowna at a glance
Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Kelowna Event Centre, 2041 Harvey Ave, Kelowna, BC
Admission: Adults 13+: $5 plus the current ticket service fee; children 0-12: free
Seating: General standing and open seating; no assigned seats
Who can attend: Families, friends and members of the wider Okanagan community
For tickets and the latest event details, visit the official Latin Voices Día de los Muertos 2026 event page.
What you can experience at the festival
The afternoon is designed as an immersive cultural celebration rather than a single stage show. Visitors can move between contests, live performances, traditional food, ofrendas, art, workshops and family activities throughout the event.
Catrinas, Catrines and traditional ofrendas
Two of the main cultural highlights will be the Concurso de Catrinas y Catrines and the Concurso de Altares (Ofrendas). The altar competition will showcase traditional ofrendas created to honour loved ones and keep their memory present.
Concurso de Catrinas y Catrines - one of the featured moments of the festival
Concurso de Altares (Ofrendas) - exhibition and competition of traditional altars
Raffles and surprises throughout the afternoon
If this is your first time seeing an ofrenda, take a moment to look beyond the colour. Photographs, candles, flowers, favourite foods and personal objects can each carry meaning for the people who created it.
Live music, folkloric dance and performances
The stage will bring together performers representing Mexico and the wider Latin American community. Confirmed groups and artists include:
Mexican Folklor
Okanagan Mexican Folklore Dance Group
Somos Colombia
Latin Rhythms Dance Group
Venezuela Folklor
Vernon Salsa
Live singers Brenda Gonzalez and Flor Aguilar
Visitors can expect dances such as El Son de la Negra, Jarabe Tapatío and La Carcacha, among others. The mix of traditional music, folkloric dance and live performance gives the festival its colour while creating space for different Latin American communities to share the stage.
Come hungry: traditional food and drinks
Food is a big part of the experience, with familiar favourites and classic dishes that some visitors may be trying for the first time.
Tacos, burritos and quesadillas - Two Brothers
Tamales, pozole rojo, menudo and birria - Taam Restaurant
Chilaquiles, esquites and tostadas - Tak-Oh
Tostadas, Churros and café de olla - Casa de Frida
Traditional pan de muerto - Gina & Edmundo
Fresas con Crema y pancakes - Manchego
For someone discovering the celebration for the first time, the food can be an easy way to connect with the culture. For others, a familiar flavour can bring back memories of family gatherings and home.
Artisan market and family workshops
Away from the stage, visitors can browse cultural goods, local art and handmade products while meeting some of the makers and small businesses taking part.
Celi & Jose - Handmade skull-shaped candles
Sans Latin Market - Latin products
Armando Barrera - Local art
Neus Tutus - Personalized products
Doncey Ibarra - Family craft workshops
Breitner - Handmade jewelry
Activities for children and families
The festival is designed to be family-friendly, with activities children can enjoy alongside the music, food and cultural displays.
Face painting with local make up artists
A themed Shooting Star Photo Booth
Family craft activities and workshops
Live music and dance throughout the afternoon
Ofrendas and cultural displays to explore together
Children 12 and under currently receive free admission, making the afternoon easier for families to experience together.
A celebration that connects cultures in the Okanagan
Keeping traditions alive while living abroad is not only about looking back. It can help families build continuity between generations and give children growing up in Canada a chance to experience songs, foods, stories and customs that may otherwise live mainly in family memories.
At the same time, public cultural events create meeting places. Someone does not need to be Mexican or Latin American to attend respectfully, learn something new and enjoy the celebration. That is how an event like this can strengthen our roots while also opening a multicultural space for Kelowna and the wider Okanagan.
A few things to know before you go
Returning from 2025? Last year's celebration was held at Grizzli Winery in West Kelowna. The 2026 festival has moved to the Kelowna Event Centre, so returning visitors should use this year's address when planning their trip.
Plan for open seating. General admission uses standing and open seating rather than assigned seats, so arrive with enough time to settle in and explore.
Check for final updates. Performers, vendors or program details can change before an event. Check the official event page before leaving home.
Community support behind the festival
A festival with this many performers, vendors, activities and cultural displays is possible because local organizations, businesses and community partners help bring it to life.Supporters and partners confirmed for 2026 include City of Kelowna, Bannister Kia Penticton, Two Brothers Mexican Restauran, Casa de Frida Mexican Restaurant, Two Brothers Food Truck, Vicon Construction, Humberto Morales Financial Advisorued, Century 21, Touchstone Bookkeeping, and the radio stations Go & Sun FM.
The City of Kelowna also lists the Día de los Muertos project among its 2026 Cultural Project Grant recipients, recognizing the event's contribution to cultural programming in the city.
Come celebrate with us
Día de los Muertos is about memory, but it is also about connection - with loved ones, with culture, with younger generations and with the community around us.
Come for the live performances or the food. Bring the kids to experience the art and dance. Spend time with the ofrendas, meet local makers and share an afternoon where keeping our roots alive and building community in the Okanagan can happen in the same place.
Thank you for visiting us today and reading until the end. If you want more information, stories and practical resources for our community in the Okanagan, visit our blog.
