Reno’s Day of the Dead | Día de los Muertos

FREE two-day Día de los Muertos family festival in Reno with dancing, music, costume contests, digital ofrenda, food, and vendors.
About this Event

FREE GENERAL ADMISSION • ENTRADA GRATIS • ALL AGES
CELEBRATE LIFE. HONOR LOVED ONES. SHARE THE TRADITION.
Looking for a free family event in Reno during Halloween weekend?
Bring the children, grandparents, cousins, and friends to Reno City Plaza for Reno's Day of the Dead | Día de los Muertos, a colorful two-day family celebration filled with live music, DJs, dancing, cultural traditions, costume contests, family fun, food, local vendors, and a community digital ofrenda honoring loved ones who have passed.
Whether Día de los Muertos has been part of your family’s traditions for generations or you are experiencing it for the first time, everyone is welcome.
GENERAL ADMISSION IS FREE.
Reserve a free ticket to receive entertainment announcements, contest details, schedule updates, travel information, and digital ofrenda submission instructions.
Guests looking for a warmer and more comfortable experience can select the optional VIP Weekend Experience during checkout.
VIP includes catered food during both event sessions, access to a heated tent, guaranteed seating at shared VIP tables, and two drink tickets total per person for the weekend.
You do not need to purchase VIP to attend or enjoy the event.
DATES AND LOCATION
Reno City Plaza
30 N. Virginia Street
Reno, Nevada 89501
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2026
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2026
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Attend Friday, Saturday, or both days.
These are two separate event sessions. The event closes at 10:00 PM Friday and reopens at 11:00 AM Saturday.
WHAT FAMILIES CAN LOOK FORWARD TO
• FREE admission for all ages
• Friday Night Catrina Contest
• Saturday Morning Kids’ Costume Contest
• Live music and DJs
• Dancing and cultural entertainment
• Community digital ofrenda
• A special memorial moment
• Food, artists, artisans, and local vendors
• Optional catered VIP experience inside a heated tent
MAKE A RENO WEEKEND OF IT
Traveling from outside the Reno area?
Arrive Friday evening for the Catrina Contest, live entertainment, dancing, and a special memorial moment. Stay overnight in Reno or Sparks, then return Saturday morning for the Kids’ Costume Contest and daytime family celebration.
While you are here, explore downtown Reno, the Reno Arch, the Truckee Riverwalk, local dining, and small businesses.
Travel, lodging, transportation, parking, and purchases outside the event are not included with general admission or VIP.
Travel-planning information and event updates will be posted at:
renoddlm.com
FRIDAY NIGHT: CATRINA CONTEST, MUSIC, DANCING, AND REMEMBRANCE
Friday night brings the color, music, and artistry of La Catrina to downtown Reno.
Come dressed in your Catrina-inspired best, enter the Friday Night Catrina Contest, or simply enjoy the creativity on display.
Friday night will feature:
• Friday Night Catrina Contest
• Live music and DJs
• Dancing and cultural entertainment
• A special memorial moment
• Community digital ofrenda
• Food and local vendors
• Optional catered VIP dinner inside a heated tent
Costumes are encouraged but not required to attend.
The exact Catrina Contest time, eligibility requirements, rules, and registration details will be announced.
SATURDAY MORNING: KIDS’ COSTUME CONTEST AND FAMILY FUN
Saturday is designed with families in mind.
Bring the children, parents, grandparents, and extended family for a daytime celebration filled with music, creativity, culture, and community.
The Kids’ Costume Contest will take place Saturday morning during the 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM event session.
Families interested in participating should plan to arrive when the event opens.
Saturday will feature:
• Saturday Morning Kids’ Costume Contest
• Live music and DJs
• Family fun
• Cultural entertainment
• Community digital ofrenda
• Food and local vendors
• Optional catered VIP experience inside a heated tent
The exact contest time, age divisions, rules, and registration details will be announced.
DIGITAL OFRENDA: HONOR SOMEONE YOUR FAMILY LOVES
At the heart of Reno's Day of the Dead | Día de los Muertos is our community digital ofrenda, featuring approved photographs and short remembrances of loved ones who have passed.
Make it a meaningful family experience.
Choose a photograph together, write a short remembrance, and share the story of a parent, grandparent, family member, friend, veteran, community member, or anyone whose memory you would like to carry forward.
The digital ofrenda gives families a place to celebrate the lives of their loved ones, share their stories with children, and help younger generations understand the people and traditions that came before them.
Participation in the digital ofrenda is FREE. No VIP purchase is required.
Submit a photograph and short remembrance at:
ofrenda.renoddlm.com
All submissions will be reviewed before display.
Submission requirements, deadlines, and scheduled viewing times will be posted online. Submission does not guarantee inclusion.
OPTIONAL VIP WEEKEND EXPERIENCE
A WARM AND COMFORTABLE HOME BASE FOR BOTH DAYS.
General admission remains free.
VIP is an optional, limited-capacity experience covering both Friday and Saturday.
VIP WEEKEND EXPERIENCE
$100 PER PERSON
Each VIP Weekend Experience includes:
• Heated VIP tent access Friday and Saturday
• Guaranteed seating at shared VIP tables
• Catered dinner Friday night
• Catered food during Saturday’s daytime session
• Two drink tickets total per person for the weekend
• Nonalcoholic beverage options
• Access to all public event programming
The heated VIP tent provides a comfortable place to sit, eat, warm up, and spend time with your family or group between exploring the event and enjoying the entertainment.
Catering will be provided during scheduled service windows each day. It will not be served continuously throughout the event.
Menus and serving times will be shared with VIP guests before the event.
Drink tickets may be redeemed for eligible event beverages and have no cash value. Nonalcoholic options will be available.
Guests must meet all applicable age and identification requirements to redeem drink tickets for alcoholic beverages.
Each person using VIP seating or catering must have a VIP pass, including children.
Individual VIP guests will be seated at shared tables.
Seating is guaranteed, but a specific table or seat location is not guaranteed.
Purchasing multiple individual VIP passes does not create a private or dedicated table.
All VIP passes cover both Friday and Saturday. Single-day VIP passes are not offered.
A separate free general admission ticket is not required when purchasing VIP.
VIP capacity is extremely limited.
EL PATRÓN TABLE FOR 8
GATHER YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, EMPLOYEES, OR CLIENTS AROUND ONE DEDICATED TABLE.
A limited number of dedicated El Patrón Tables are available as an optional upgrade during checkout for $750.
Each El Patrón Table includes:
• Eight VIP Weekend Experiences
• One dedicated table for up to eight guests
• Heated VIP tent access Friday and Saturday
• Catered dinner Friday night
• Catered food during Saturday’s daytime session
• Two drink tickets per guest, 16 drink tickets total
• Access to all public event programming
The El Patrón Table covers both event sessions.
Every guest, including children, counts toward the eight-person capacity.
THIS PACKAGE ALREADY INCLUDES EIGHT VIP ADMISSIONS.
Do not purchase separate individual VIP passes for the eight guests included with the table.
After purchasing an El Patrón Table, the purchaser will receive instructions for registering the eight included guests.
Businesses may purchase an El Patrón Table for employees, clients, or community partners.
The El Patrón Table is a hospitality package. It does not include sponsor recognition, advertising, vendor space, category exclusivity, event naming rights, or presenting sponsor status.
El Patrón Table availability is extremely limited.
COME HUNGRY. SHOP LOCAL. CELEBRATE TOGETHER.
Explore food vendors, artists, artisans, community organizations, and local businesses throughout the event.
Enjoy a meal together, discover unique artwork and cultural merchandise, and support the small businesses that help make our community special.
Food, beverages, merchandise, and other vendor purchases are sold separately from free general admission.
Catered food and drink tickets are included only with VIP Weekend Experiences and El Patrón Table packages.
A CELEBRATION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Whether Día de los Muertos has been part of your family’s traditions for generations or you are experiencing it for the first time, you are welcome to celebrate with us.
Bring the children.
Bring the grandparents.
Bring the people whose stories you want the next generation to remember.
Come to honor someone you love, share traditions, dance, enjoy live entertainment, support local businesses, and create new family memories together.
FREE GENERAL ADMISSION
ENTRADA GRATIS
ALL AGES
TWO DAYS OF MUSIC, CULTURE, FAMILY, AND REMEMBRANCE
Reserve your free ticket or select the optional VIP Weekend Experience during checkout.
OUTDOOR EVENT NOTICE
Reno's Day of the Dead | Día de los Muertos is an outdoor event.
Dress for late-October weather and bring additional layers for Friday evening.
The heated tent is available only to guests with VIP access.
Event schedules, performers, menus, contests, and activities are subject to change.
THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS
Special thanks to Zeroday Cybersecurity, the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA), and Re:UP, the Reno Redevelopment Agency (RDA), for helping make this free community celebration possible.
Produced by High Sierra Entertainment, the team behind Dancing on the River and Sabor Latino: Reno’s Latino Festival.
Event information and updates:
renoddlm.com

Agenda

🕑: 06:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Friday Night Celebration

Info: Friday, October 30, 2026
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Friday Night Catrina Contest, live music, DJs, dancing, cultural entertainment, a special memorial moment, digital ofrenda, food, local vendors, and the optional catered VIP dinner inside a heated tent.

🕑: 11:00 AM - 03:00 PM
Saturday Family Celebration

Info: Saturday, October 31, 2026
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Saturday Morning Kids’ Costume Contest, live music, DJs, family fun, cultural entertainment, digital ofrenda, food, local vendors, and the optional catered VIP experience inside a heated tent.