The altars judged on Plaza Teniente José Antonio Mijares this Monday are contest entries. Most of the catrinas walking the parade that day are contestants too, and so are the bakers behind the pan de muerto being judged. The Instituto de la Cultura y las Artes de Los Cabos, known as ICA, built its 2026 Festival Tradicional del Día de Muertos around three open calls for residents. That means San José del Cabo's free holiday weekend is largely staffed, dressed and baked by the people who live here.
Registration for all three contests closes at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, October 29. Anyone still deciding has the morning to reach ICA's offices on the second floor of the Casa de la Cultura Prof. Alfredo Green González in Colonia Centro. Registration is free.
What the Plaza Is Actually Showing You
Tribuna de México reported that each of the three calls pays cash prizes to its top three entries. Who can enter says a lot about what ends up on display.
| Contest | Who can enter | 1st / 2nd / 3rd prize |
|---|---|---|
| Altar de muertos | High school students, university students and the general public of the municipality | 15,000 / 12,000 / 9,000 pesos |
| Catrinas and catrines, children | Los Cabos residents ages 5 to 13 | 7,000 / 5,000 / 3,500 pesos |
| Catrinas and catrines, youth and adults | Los Cabos residents 14 and older | 9,000 / 7,000 / 4,500 pesos |
| Pan de muerto | People born in Los Cabos, 18 and older, who bake with traditional techniques | 5,000 / 3,000 / 2,000 pesos |
The prizes add up to 82,000 pesos across twelve places, and the altar category carries the most. Its first prize is three times the first prize for pan de muerto, which explains why the altars take up so much of the plaza.
The entry rules decide what visitors actually see. According to Tribuna, every altar must include traditional Mexican elements, and the entry must have participants who can explain what those elements mean. So the altars on Plaza Mijares come with people standing beside them whose job is to tell you why the marigolds, the photographs and the offerings are arranged the way they are. Catrina and catrín entrants have to present a classic Mexican characterization and take part in both the parade and the runway on the plaza. The pan de muerto category is limited to bakers born in Los Cabos, so the bread being judged is local by definition.
ICA director general Tanya Covarrubias told Tribuna de México that "last year the response we had from the public was very beautiful." She was referring to the same set of contests.
Sunday Opens the Plaza, Monday Fills It
The festival gives each of its two days a separate job. In the same Tribuna interview, Covarrubias said the program opens Sunday, November 1, at Plaza Antonio Mijares with "a series of projections, artistic activities and more," and that "the plaza is going to look beautiful too." The traditional parade follows on Monday, November 2. ICA's own festival notice lists film, artistic programming and a talent contest alongside the altar, catrina and bread competitions.
That split matters for planning. Sunday evening is for the projections and performances. Monday is when ICA's contest notice places the competitions at Plaza Mijares and when the catrina entrants are out on the route and back on the runway. Because the contest rules require them to do both, Monday is the day to see the altars and the costumes up close.
A few details are still marked "coming soon" on ICA's page, which says the full lineup will be "revealed very soon" on its social channels:
- The start time and route of the Monday, November 2, parade
- The performers and film titles for Sunday, November 1
- The festival's hours on each day
The Gallery District's Thursday Art Walk usually runs from 5 to 9 p.m. during its season. The district association hasn't posted a 2026–27 start date, so it's worth checking its Art Walk page before counting on gallery openings for tonight.
Down the Corridor, the Same Holiday Takes a Reservation
The plaza festival is free and built from resident entries. The corridor celebrations are planned by venues and booked through restaurant and hotel reservation desks. Several fall on Monday night, the same night as the parade in town.
- Sunday, November 1, 6 p.m., Las Ventanas al Paraíso, Km 19.5 at Cabo Real. The resort's evening centers on a five-course tasting menu by Executive Chef Víctor Palma, with folkloric dancers, mariachi and marimba, alebrije stilt walkers and an interactive altar. Visit Los Cabos lists admission as free. The resort's dining line, (624) 144-2800, can confirm how the dinner is booked.
- Monday, November 2, 5 to 10 p.m., Acre in Animas Bajas. The tourism bureau's listing describes a Catrina parade, a shaman's welcome ritual, live music and special dishes. Its broader holiday guide mentions pan de muerto and hot chocolate alongside Acre's regular à la carte menu, plus a Catrina contest for guests.
- Monday, November 2, 5:30 to 10 p.m., AGUA at One&Only Palmilla. A family-style Día de Muertos menu is listed at US$130 for adults and US$90 for children.
- Monday, November 2, from 6 p.m., Flora Farms. The farm hosts its 10th annual altar competition, with live music, folkloric performances, farm-to-table food and proceeds supporting local charities. Visit Los Cabos lists it as ending at 9 p.m., while another events calendar runs it to 10 p.m., so check the closing time with Flora Farms directly.
San José del Cabo ends up with two altar competitions on the same Monday. ICA's is on the plaza and open to students and the general public. Flora Farms' is in its tenth year and tied to charity. Seeing both in one evening depends on a parade time that hasn't been announced yet.
Cabo San Lucas runs its big night a day earlier. CANIRAC Los Cabos lists its free Catrin@s Parade for Sunday, November 1, from 5 to 7 p.m., moving from the Cultural Pavilion to Yenekamu in downtown Cabo San Lucas. The marina also hosts "Altares en el Mar," a candlelit boat procession. With Cabo's parade on Sunday and San José's on Monday, you can see both towns' processions without choosing between them.
The Panteón Has Been Doing This Since the 1860s
In the heart of the old town, the Panteón Municipal de San José del Cabo is where the holiday is oldest and most private. Local storyteller Jorge Aníbal Amador Castro walked Tribuna de México through it last November. He pointed out graves from 1860 to 1899, some with raised vaults that held the remains above ground. The cemetery's twentieth-century tombs show local personality. Some are built in the shape of a lighthouse, a boat or an off-road vehicle, some are covered in colorful murals, and many follow the classic obelisk form. Amador Castro told the outlet that the period typography and decorative details are hard to find in other communities.
Ahead of this year's visits, the XV Ayuntamiento de Los Cabos has stepped up maintenance at its municipal cemeteries through the Dirección General de Servicios Públicos. In an October 13 report, TV Aquí Los Cabos said crews are clearing weeds, pruning trees and hauling away waste, with the work set to continue in the weeks before November 1 and 2. Hours from past years don't necessarily apply, so confirm visiting times before you go.
If you have family buried in the Panteón, or you just want to see the lighthouse tomb, plan your visit around the plaza schedule ICA has yet to post.
If Día de Muertos weekend has you thinking about how the historic center fits into your own calendar, Robyn & Co would be glad to talk it through over a complimentary concierge consultation, whether before the parade or after the altars come down.
