Baldwin Park’s Día de los Muertos Celebration Moves Indoors

By Thursday, Oct. 23, Baldwin Park will be lighting up its Arts and Recreation Center with the colors and sounds of Día de los Muertos – the city’s beloved Day of the Dead celebration. The shift indoors comes after the original plan to host the festivities at Susan Rubio Zócalo Park was scrapped, though officials haven’t offered many details beyond the new address.

Doors swing open at 5 p.m., inviting families, friends, and anyone curious about the Mexican tradition that honors departed loved ones through altars, music, and art. Expect a lively lineup: cultural performances that showcase traditional dances, live musical sets that get toes tapping, and hands‑on arts‑and‑craft stations where kids can create marigold‑laden souvenirs.

One of the highlights is the Catrín and Catrina costume contest – a chance for participants to don elegant skeleton suits and beautifully painted faces, competing for bragging rights and a few modest prizes. And yes, the crafts are free, because the city wants the celebration to be as inclusive as possible.

While the venue change may have raised a few eyebrows, community leaders say the spirit of the event remains untouched. “Whether it’s under the open sky or inside a community hall, the purpose is the same – to remember, to celebrate, and to share,” a city spokesperson remarked.

So mark your calendars, bring a picnic if you like, and come experience a night where life and memory dance together, right in the heart of Baldwin Park.