Dia de los Muertos and Halloween in PV

The Day of the Dead is celebrated in Puerto Vallarta and the rest of Mexico from October 31st until November 2nd, overlapping with of course Halloween as we know it in the US. October 31st is Young Souls Day, the 1st of November is All Saints Day and the 2nd of November is All Souls Day.

Dia de los Muertos is a day in which Mexicans honor and celebrate their deceased relatives and loved ones. It is a wonderfully colorful and festive holiday, not dim and somber event as you may think. The belief behind the holiday is it is one day that the spirits of those who have passed return to the world for just this short period of time.

The Day of the Dead and Halloween to share similarities as both are based on the idea of spirits returning, but with Halloween, customs seem to stem more from the idea that those spirits were wicked and evil rather than spirits that are accepted as family.

Halloween festivities are becoming more prevalent in Puerto Vallarta and the rest of Mexico. You can find masks and costumes sold in stores as well as sugar skulls (gifts for the departed young souls of children) and pan de Muertos (bread of the dead). Some children even will dress up and go trick-or-treating.

If you are going to be in Mexico, enjoy the wonderful celebrations, just be sure to be respectful since they are honoring the deceased. You'll see calacas and calaberas (skeletons and skulls) all around, people will be eating, drinking, partying and enjoying themselves! You may see lanterns hung on trees, firecrackers set off, pathways of flowers (which are intended to guide the souls home) and elaborately decorated altars and graves. Of course with tourists, you'll likely see them dressed up, partying in the clubs around town!