Day of the dead new braunfels

With Dia de Los Muertos approaching, the festivities that follow are right around the corner. Not every place in the U.S. celebrates this glorious holiday, but living in Texas we're lucky enough to be one of the states that does! There are many festivals and parades happening throughout different cities, one of which is near San Antonio. On Saturday, October 26th one of the greatest Day of the Dead parades of all is gracing the city of New Braunfels for only the fourth time ever! 

From 12 to 10 PM on Saturday the 26th, you can join thousands of others who are coming out to celebrate and honor their deceased loved ones. The festival is hosted by New Braunfels Hispanic Business Alliance and they're expecting over 20,000 attendees! It's incredible what heritage can do to bring people together. Not only is this a celebration of the dead, but it's one where the living can truly come together. 

To make things even better, the festival, admission, and parking are all free! Save your money for an extravagant costume instead, especially considering there'll be a best-dressed catrina contest. There'll also be shopping, dancing, story-telling time, a sugar skull class, and more! This is expected to be their best festival yet, and you do not want to miss out. 

Throughout the festival, Grammy artists Flaco Jimenez, Augie Meyers, and Los Texmaniacs will be performing as well as local artists the Folklorico Dancers. The music really sets the tone for events such as these, and this festival will blow people away with the incredible artistry! Festival proceeds benefit plenty of great causes, so don't hesitate on bringing some souvenirs home. We know we will! 

Dia De Los Muertos Festival - New Braunfels

Price: Free!

Cuisine: Cultural food booths and food trucks!

Address: Downtown New Braunfels

Why you need to go: This celebration has always been iconic. Now that there's a festival celebrating the "Day of the Dead" near you, it's a must.

Website

Oct 23, 2021

FREE Community Festival celebrating Dia de los Muertos and Hispanic culture in New Braunfels. | LIVE MUSIC | • David Farias Band • Mark Weber Y Los Cuernos • Conjunto Cats | FACE PAINTING | Face painting is an integral part of Dia de los Muertos and we will have two dedicated face painting stations with a ton of talented artists on hand to transform your look. | EL MUNDO DE LOS NINOS | There is something for everyone at this festival, especially the kiddos! We'll have a special area just for kids with games, activities, and craft making. | VENDORS | Food, beer and wine, art, crafts, food, jewelry, decorations, food, clothing, accessories.....and did we mention FOOD!? FESTIVAL PROCEEDS BENEFIT: • Scholarships for numerous local high school students • Sponsorship's for students to attend the National Hispanic Institute • Small Business Grants • Support for numerous non-profit organizations
More Info

Main Plaza
New Braunfels, TX 78130

Time: 12 PM - 10 PM

The Dia de los Muertos Festival is back in New Braunfels after the live event went on hiatus last year due to the pandemic, and focuses on loved ones lost to COVID-19.

Dia de los Muertos, or “Day of the Dead,” celebrates the lives and memories of loved ones passed. The Mexican holiday is Nov. 1 and 2, but the local festival will be Saturday, Oct. 23 downtown from noon to 10 p.m.

“Death is a universal language, it’s a universal feeling, memories, the loss that everybody goes through,” New Braunfels Hispanic Business Alliance vice chair Mary Ann Labowski said.

The New Braunfels Hispanic Business Alliance puts on the festival every year, and for its fifth festival it got the City’s permission to close downtown in preparation for a big turnout.

For the parade, it will close down San Antonio Street, from South Castell Avenue to Market Street, about from the Phoenix Saloon to Muck & Fuss.

Seguin Avenue will also be closed down, from Mill Street around the front of Zoeller Funeral Home to Cole Avenue in front of First Protestant Church.

From 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., more than 60 vendors from food to boutiques will start rolling in.

At 4 p.m. there will be the “ofrenda walk” where people will carry pictures and possessions of loved ones passed to place on a 24-foot altar.

People are encouraged to bring copies so they do not lose a picture, or if it is an original to put their name and number on the back in case it gets lost.

Behind the altar is also a large chalkboard where people can write messages.

“Sometimes it gets filled, it just gives you goosebumps looking at all the messages people put on there,” Labowski said.

This year, the festival will be decorated with marigold flowers and monarch butterflies. The marigold flowers are believed to bring spirits to the ofrenda and the butterflies represent the “souls.”

There is also live music at two entertainment stages, with the main stage around midday featuring headliner and Grammy winner David Farias, a renowned Tejano musician.

The performance will be an emotional reunion for Farias and his brothers who formed the band.

The second stage will feature Americana music. Dancers and mariachi bands from Hays County middle and high schools will also perform.

There will be a main bar between Naeglin’s Bakery and Le Cistron European Cafe & Bistro and four smaller bars will be throughout the floorplan area.

For the kids, New Braunfels Library Foundation will have its RIOmobile mobile library bus. There will also be Fiesta Lanes in the kids area, with giant blow-up pins.

Labowski said the event will be fun while also emotional, for both locals and out-of-towners that even fly in for it.

She lost her father two years ago, and so she has a cigar box decorated with his favorite things and pictures of him she will bring.

“To be able to have everybody be a part of a culture behind our Hispanic culture, our Latino culture, it’s still a beautiful thing to incorporate our whole community to be a part of,” Labowski said. “Everybody’s invited to do that to bring a picture and to throughout the day remember to tell stories, happy ones. That’s how we keep them alive within us and to be able to share them.”

Herald-Zeitung Assistant Editor Alec Woolsey contributed to this article.