Discovery Green will celebrate with a Catrinas parade and Downtown Houston will offer music, workshops, a community ofrenda and free family-friendly cinema.
Houston will celebrate Day of the Dead 2026 with three free gatherings from October 30 to November 1. Market Square Park will kick off the activities on Friday with live music and community ofrendas, while Trebly Park will screen Coco at no cost. MECA will host its two-day festival featuring altars, art, and cultural performances, and Discovery Green will close out the weekend on Sunday with a Catrinas parade and a tribute concert honoring deceased musicians.
The celebrations will provide spaces to remember family members and loved ones who have died through various expressions of the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition, which is mainly observed on November 1 and 2.
Admission will be free to all three main celebrations and to the cinema screening. Food, beverages, and vendor goods may have an additional cost.
October 30 — Market Square Park will feature music, ofrendas and free activities
The celebration Una Noche en Downtown will take place on Friday, October 30, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m., at Market Square Park, located at 301 Milam Street, Houston, TX 77002, in downtown Houston.
The program will include live music by the Leslie Lugo Band, mariachi, folkloric ballet performances, a vendor market along Preston Street, interactive workshops by Young Audiences of Houston, and complimentary face painting.
A community ofrenda will allow attendees to remember deceased family members and pets. The celebration will extend to Main Street Promenade, featuring street performers, games, and illuminated installations related to Day of the Dead, and to Trebly Park, where there will be family activities and a free screening of Coco.
The event is part of Downtown Houston’s programming and receives partial funding from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance.
The Una Noche en Downtown celebration is free to attend. Organizers also offer free registration via the event page.
- Date: Friday, October 30, 2026.
- Time: 5:00–10:00 p.m.
- Location: Market Square Park, 301 Milam Street, Houston, TX 77002.
- Admission: Free.
- Registration: Free on the organizers’ page.
October 30 — Trebly Park will screen Coco for free for families
The Downtown Houston celebration will also include a free Coco screening, Disney·Pixar’s animated film, at Trebly Park, located at 1515 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77002.
Family activities will begin at 6 p.m. and will include face painting and treats. The film will screen at 7 p.m. and the event will wrap up at 9 p.m.
Coco tells the story of Miguel, a boy who travels to the Land of the Dead while discovering his family history and their connection to music.
Admission will be free. The Coco family screening at Trebly Park also offers free registration.
- Date: Friday, October 30, 2026.
- Schedule: Activities from 6:00 p.m.; film at 7:00 p.m.
- Address: 1515 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77002.
- Admission: Free.
November 1 — Discovery Green will host a Catrinas parade and a community ofrenda
Discovery Green will hold its Day of the Dead celebration on Sunday, November 1, from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Sarofim Picnic Lawn, inside the park located at 1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010.
Houston-based artist Angel Quesada will curate a community ofrenda in which attendees can contribute photographs or memories of their deceased loved ones.
Organizers recommend bringing copies of photographs and avoiding original items of sentimental value, as they cannot guarantee their return.
The program will also include a Catrinas and Catrines parade, a costume contest, traditional performances, live music, crafts, and vendors.
The day will conclude with La Musical Ofrenda, a tribute concert honoring prominent Houston musicians and Texas artists who have passed away.
The Discovery Green Day of the Dead event will be free to attend. Organizers have not announced a general registration requirement for attendance.
- Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026.
- Time: 3:00–7:00 p.m.
- Address: 1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77010.
- Area: Sarofim Picnic Lawn.
- Admission: Free.
Central Avenue parking remains closed at Discovery Green
The Central Avenue Garage, located next to Discovery Green, remains closed to the public due to surrounding construction near the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Among the alternatives noted by the park are the North Avenue Garage, at 701 Avenida de las Americas, and the surface parking lot at 1515 Rusk Street. Both may charge variable rates.
There is also paid parking on nearby streets, subject to availability and signage. Parking along McKinney Street, adjacent to the park, has been converted into a bike lane. There are spaces available on La Branch Street.
To reach the area without a car, METRORail Green and Purple lines connect to the Convention District station, located next to the park.
Discovery Green’s parking options include garages, surface lots, and on-street metered spaces.
The free Day of the Dead activities will begin on Friday, October 30 in Downtown Houston. MECA’s festival will continue on Saturday and Sunday, while Discovery Green will close its celebration on November 1 with La Musical Ofrenda.
Related: Día de Muertos: así nació La Catrina.
