Dive in Deeper: Your Complete Guide to McKinney's Día de los Muertos Festival
- Veronica Campbell
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Part 6 of the McKinney Día de los Muertos "Dive in Deeper" Blog Series
Planning your visit to McKinney's fifth annual Día de los Muertos celebration? Whether you're a first-time visitor or a returning friend, this guide will help you make the most of everything happening October 11th from 2-8 PM. With thousands expected to join us this year, we've designed this festival to offer something meaningful for everyone—from quiet moments of remembrance to lively cultural experiences that bring families together.
Getting Started: Your Festival Foundation
Before you arrive, take a moment to explore our complete event guide and parking information. Our main stage schedule provides the festival's rhythm, starting with opening remarks at 2 PM and building to an energetic close with Havanna NRG! at 7 PM. But the heart of the festival beats beyond the stage—in the activities, connections, and traditions that fill every corner of the celebration.
Making the Most of Your Visit
With six hours of programming and activities running throughout, here's how to approach your festival experience without feeling overwhelmed:
Arrive Early (2-3 PM): Beat the crowds for face painting and enjoy the opening performances. This is also the best time to visit the community ofrendas when they're less crowded.
Mid-Festival Sweet Spot (3:30-5 PM): The scholarship presentation and Spanish Tea Time Dancers offer beautiful performances. This window also gives you time to try La Chancla Toss and explore the mercado before the Catrina contest parade draws everyone to the main stage.
Evening Energy (5-8 PM): The festival builds momentum as the sun sets. The Catrina parade, Aztec dancers, and closing performance create a crescendo of energy. Evening light also makes for stunning photos.
Honoring Loved Ones: The Memorial Experiences
At the core of Día de los Muertos is remembrance, and we've created several meaningful ways to honor those you've lost.
Community Ofrendas
The most personal way to participate is by adding your loved ones to our community altars. Throughout the week leading up to the festival, visit participating local businesses—Habitat Plants + Coffee, Red Zeppelin Records, Groovy Coop, Mitzi's Sonoma, and Jasper & Petals—to drop off photos. The festival provides frames, and your photos will be lovingly displayed alongside marigolds and candles on our altars. On festival day, you can also bring photos directly to the event.
Memory Tree Messages
Watch as the memory tree blooms with names throughout the day. Write your loved ones' names on decorative leaves and add them to our living memorial. It's a visual reminder that we carry forward those we've lost, their names intertwining like branches of a family tree.
Monarch Messages
Channel the Mexican belief that monarch butterflies carry the spirits of the departed. At the monarch messages station, paint your personal message or memory on paper butterfly wings. These decorated monarchs will be displayed on marigold-adorned trees, creating a stunning visual tribute that honors the tradition while letting you express your own unique connection to someone special.
Celebrating Culture: The Festival Activities
Once you've taken time for remembrance, immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural experiences that make this celebration so special.
Main Stage Entertainment – The schedule flows from traditional folklórico dancers at 2:15 PM through diverse performances including Mariachi Quetzal at 4:30 PM, Aztec dancers at 6 PM, and closing with Havanna NRG! from 7-8 PM.
NEW: Student Scholarship – Sponsored by McDonald's of North Texas in partnership with AEYL, this new program celebrates educational achievement. The presentation takes place at 3 PM on the main stage. Check our scholarship page for details.
La Catrina Costume Contest – Transform into La Catrina or your favorite Día de los Muertos character. Registration opens at 3 PM, parade begins at 5 PM, with winner announcements at 5:30 PM. Spirit animals and creative interpretations welcome.
NEW: La Chancla Toss – Test your aim in this playfully authentic activity sponsored by Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers that celebrates the legendary accuracy of Latino mothers and grandmothers everywhere.
Face Painting – Professional artists create Día de los Muertos-inspired designs from simple sugar skull accents to elaborate full-face art. Visit early or during performance times to avoid long waits.
Mercado Shopping – Local artisans offer everything from handcrafted sugar skulls and marigold crowns to authentic Mexican folk art and modern interpretations of Día de los Muertos themes.
NEW: VW Beetle Display – Celebrate the beloved "vochos" that became symbols of Mexican identity and ingenuity. A perfect photo opportunity bridging automotive history with tradition.
A Día de los Muertos Festival That Grows With Community
Now in its fifth year, McKinney's Día de los Muertos celebration has evolved from a single-day event into a week-long community engagement that touches multiple local businesses and thousands of lives. The growth reflects not just increasing attendance, but deepening understanding of why this tradition matters.
Each new activity—from the scholarship honoring educational achievement to La Chancla Toss celebrating family humor—connects authentic tradition with contemporary community values. The VW Beetle display might seem unexpected, but it honors the way Mexican culture transforms everyday objects into symbols of identity and pride.
Your Día de los Muertos Experience, Your Way
Perhaps the most important thing to know about McKinney's Día de los Muertos festival is that there's no single "right" way to experience it. Some visitors spend hours carefully participating in every activity. Others find one meaningful element—adding a photo to the ofrenda, watching a single performance, or writing a name on the memory tree—and let that be enough.
The festival's family-friendly, community-focused nature means you can arrive at any time, stay as long as feels right, and create exactly the experience that resonates with you. Whether you're reconnecting with your own cultural traditions, introducing your children to new perspectives, or simply curious about a celebration you've never experienced, you'll find your place here.
