Guide to Annual Halloween Activities Day of the Dead Style in Ocotepec, Morelos

This Halloween imagine hosting a party for thousands of your neighbors to celebrate the life of your deceased relative. That’s what families do every year in Ocotepec, Morelos.

While you’ll probably never find yourself hosting one of these events you can surely plan to attend one. On the night of November 1st, the day after we’ve opened our doors to children dressed in Halloween costumes, Ocotepec (pronounced Oko-te-PEC) opens its doors to its recently deceased.

The dead and thousands of living visitors are guided by marigold paths and floral archways that say “Welcome Home.” The event starts at dusk and continues until about midnight - or whenever the tamales run out. The main attraction of the Day of the Dead celebration is the number of huge offerings made to Ocotepec’s recently deceased. Those families who have lost a loved one during the previous 12 months are given a chance to showcase their elaborate altars and demonstrate their respect for their ancestors through their skill as hosts.

Visitors relax and enjoy strolling Ocotepec’s darkened (people install low-watt bulbs or turn out the lights in their entry ways) cobblestone streets. The quiet is punctuated by the sound of bottle rockets the size of bratwurst exploding over head. Since the locations of the altars are determined by the loss of a family member, the distribution is random and different every year. Each street passed holds the potential to surprise the visitor with another altar.

Following trails of marigold petals and the silent flickering of candles, guests arrive to view altars complete with life-sized representations of the dead lying among their offerings. Altars are resplendent with flowers, candles, mole, fruit, bread, tequila, cigarettes, and a poster-sized photo of the deceased framed and resting at his or her feet. According to Mexican traditional beliefs the dead come home on that special night to enjoy the things that they loved while still alive.