ALTARS

A meaningful way to participate in Día de los Muertos is to bring a personal remembrance for a lost loved one. These personal memorials, known as altars or ofrendas, vary from a single photograph of your loved one to an elaborate shrine in honor. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to bring a small altar (size of an apple crate or smaller) to the festival! We have a large Public Altars tent with an overflow area especially for you to share your remembrances with the larger Día de los Muertos Festival family.

LARGE ALTAR & PUBLIC ALTAR

TENT GUIDELINES

LARGE ALTAR 

Thank you for your interest in reserving a large altar space for this year’s Día de los Muertos festival. We have limited space available for large altars. If space is available for you to create a large altar, you must follow the below guidelines. We DO reserve the right to remove anything that violates these guidelines or public safety.

  • Your altar must be respectful of the sacred nature of the Día de los Muertos holiday and remembrance of lost loved ones, and be suitable for all audiences.

  • We will provide you with a structure for your altar. The artistic coordinator will contact you directly about this. If you wish to provide your own structure, you can discuss this with the artistic coordinator to see if it is possible.

  • Your altar will be freestanding. Nothing may be affixed to any walls or columns. 

  • Remember to use photocopies and replicas of valued photos and mementos. 

  • Altar setup will be on Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 1 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • You will be able to add small final touches on Thursday, Nov. 2 after the festival opens at 4 p.m. and on Friday, Nov. 3 after the festival opens at 4 p.m. 

  • You must pick up your altar items on Saturday, Nov. 4, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. We are not responsible for items not picked up by 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov.  4.

Want to reserve your own large altar? Learn more and submit your altar application. We will notify you of your participation as soon as possible!

PUBLIC ALTAR

Feel free to bring a small ofrenda or memorial altar for your lost loved one to place in Public Altars tent or overflow area. Please follow these guidelines:

  • The festival has Public Altar locations to house your memorial altar.

  • The maximum altar size is 2 feet wide x 2 feet high x 1 feet deep.

  • You may bring your altar to our site on Wednesday, Nov. 1 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. or during the festival from 4 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 3. 

  • Altar ambassadors will be on-site to assist you each night until 8 p.m.

  • Please take your altar back home when you leave the festival. Bare Hands, Inc. is not able to store items left in the Public Altar locations.

  • Remember to use photocopies and replicas of valued photos and mementos. The Public Altar locations are not guaranteed protection from wind and weather.

  • If your altar is small (size of an apple crate or smaller), you can simply bring it to the festival and place it in the Public Altar space.