Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Public Theatre (CPT)/ Teatro Público de Cleveland (TPC), and Día de Muertos Ohio proudly present the 21st Annual Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival in Cleveland’s Detroit Shoreway neighborhood on Saturday, November 1, 2025 from 11am to 10pm, to take place at Cleveland Public Theatre, 6205 Detroit Avenue, in the Gordon Square Arts District. / Todos los eventos se llevarán acabo en: Cleveland Public Theatre – Church, Parish Hall, & surrounding area 6205 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44102.
There will be musical and dance performances by Dueto Maravilla, Patricia Bussert, Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center Danza Group, to name a few. This year’s Grand Marshal is Antonio Parente and “Burlesque Queen” Bella Sin will be the Catrina, the traditional skeleton figure who represents the Day of the Dead representing that death is a part of life and that everyone is equal regardless of status.
Featuring Altar (Ofrenda) Installations, Arts & Crafts, Latin Food, Live Music, and FREE Entertainment for All Ages. / Con instalaciones de Altares, artes & manualidades, comida latina, música en vivo y entretenimiento GRATIS para todas las edades.
Saturday, November 1 / Sábado, 1 De Noviembre
11am to 10pm, Cleveland Public Theatre Campus
Parade / Desfile (3:30 pm – 4:15 pm)
Artistic Director: Héctor Castellanos Lara
About “Day of the Dead”
Although its name may sound grim, the Día de los Muertos holiday has its origins in the Aztec rituals of Mexico and other indigenous tribes of Latin America. An internet search of “Día de los Muertos” will yield any number of links to websites explaining and promoting the holiday. But the primary elements of this celebration indicate that the special nature of the occasion is to honor one’s ancestors and commemorate beloved ones who have passed. For the Aztecs and others with similar beliefs, honoring and calling upon the ancestors was integrated with harvest festivities, and gathering family to remember past family and friends with fondness and happy memories.
About Cleveland Public Theatre
Cleveland Public Theatre has been at the forefront of new play development since 1981. Through five developmental programs, CPT serves local artists at every step of the creative process, from early ideas all the way to full productions and the entrepreneurial step of launching a new work. To better serve artists and the community, CPT recently announced its Capital Campaign which will include renovations to the Church and main building within the coming months. Learn more about the campaign here.