Beginning in 2015, Oklahoma City’s Plaza District hosts an annual Day of the Dead Festival. Celebrating Día de los Muertos, the time to remember those who’ve passed, the festival takes over the street and surrounding sidewalks in the district. Although the area is small, there is no shortage of activity. Enjoy performers and dancers throughout the day, peruse local artists and pop into the surrounding shops, and, of course, there’s no shortage of places to nosh. From local restaurants (we love Empire Slice House and Pie Junkie) to food trucks, be sure to bring your appetite.
As you wander the festival, you’ll see ofrendas throughout the sidewalks. These altars, offerings, are built to honor deceased loved ones and serve as a bridge for them to crossover during the holiday.
If the already mentioned aspects weren’t enough to visually amaze, the event also features hot rods and a costume contest, so expect to see fantastically costumed festival-goers wandering in and out of the souped up automobiles parked throughout the plaza.
This family-friendly street party also offers interactive activities and arts and crafts for the kidlets. Typically lasting the entire afternoon and into the evening (1:00p – 7:00p in 2019), with littles in tow, we typically hit the festival after nap time, making sure we catch the procession, and grab dinner at the festival.
From the 2019 Festival
This time around, we let the kidlets and the crowd (aka wait times) decide and ended up at Empire Slice House. Empire is a huge supporter of teachers and really put their pizza where their (our?) mouth is by offering free pizza to all teachers during our 2018 walkout for education funding. So, I’m happy to support this local joint any time!
One of our favorite events of the fall, we encourage anyone who is interested in learning and observing other cultures to visit the festival. We have a great time every year with a multigenerational group that also includes toddlers and teens. Let us know if you go in the comments! Or if you’ve been, what was your favorite part?
