Community Culture
Día de los Muertos in Santa Clarita 2026
Every October the City of Santa Clarita turns the Canyon Country Community Center into a warm, candlelit celebration of Día de los Muertos, the Mexican holiday that honors loved ones who have passed. This guide covers the city's celebration, how the tradition grew right here in SCV, and easy ways your family can take part at home. Written by Sam Silver, your 22-year Santa Clarita Valley local.
Late October 2026 Sam Silver 4 min read
The Celebration
When and where is SCV's Día de los Muertos celebration?
The City of Santa Clarita hosts its annual Día de los Muertos celebration each October at the Canyon Country Community Center, 18410 Sierra Highway. The celebration has settled into a Saturday afternoon in late October: the 2025 edition ran Saturday, October 25 from 3 to 5 PM, and Sam expects a similar afternoon slot for 2026. The exact date is announced by the City in early October on its community events calendar, so keep an eye out around then.
It is free, family-friendly, and open to everyone, and it has grown into one of the most heartfelt gatherings on the SCV calendar. The 2025 edition marked the celebration's fourth year, and 2026 continues the tradition.
Where
Canyon Country Community Center, 18410 Sierra Highway, Canyon Country. Free parking on site.
Cost
Free admission. Face painting and most activities are included, making it an easy family afternoon.
What to expect at the celebration
Recent editions have packed a full, joyful afternoon into a few hours. Expect to find all of this:
Live Music & Baile
Live mariachi from groups like Mariachi Charros de Oro, plus a Folklórico performance led by the Newhall Community Center Folklórico group with dancers from Golden Valley High School.
Catrina Parade & Face Painting
A community Catrina parade winds through the grounds, with Catrina face painting for anyone who wants to dress up the tradition. Bring the whole family and join in.
The Community Ofrenda
Attendees gather around a large community altar honoring loved ones through art, music, and storytelling. Bring a photo of someone you wish to remember and add it to the ofrenda.
Crafts & Art Stations
Día de Muertos crafts and art projects for kids, paper flowers and sugar skull decorating workshops, and plenty of hands-on ways for little ones to take part.
Kids Zones
A Mini Monster Maze for the littlest ones and a Youth Sports "Zombie Run" in the gym for bigger kids make the afternoon fun at every age.
An Afternoon of Community
Music, art, storytelling, and the marigold-lined patio add up to a celebration that honors the past while filling the community center with laughter. It is the warmest afternoon of the fall.
Local Story
A tradition that grew in our own valley
The city's Día de los Muertos celebration started small: a group at the Newhall Community Center began paying tribute to those who had passed, and year by year the gathering grew. What started as a modest observance is now the city's largest community celebration of its kind, and it has become a way for families to pass the tradition from one generation to the next. That is the SCV story in miniature: a neighbor-led idea, embraced by the whole valley.
As a local who has seen this valley change and grow over more than two decades, I love events like this one. Whatever weekend the celebration lands on, and wherever you call home in SCV, this holiday belongs to everyone who wants to remember with love.
At Home
How to honor loved ones at home
You do not need a festival to celebrate. Building an ofrenda at home is a sweet, simple tradition many SCV families keep all month long.
Set the table
Start with a table or shelf and cover it in layers, something simple and personal. A clean cloth, a few photos of loved ones, and anything that reminds you of them.
Add the essentials
Candles to light the way home, a glass of water, and food or drink they loved: pan de muerto from a local panadería, favorite fruit, tamales, or their coffee order.
Make it colorful
Marigold cempasúchil is the traditional flower for a reason: its bright orange is said to guide spirits home. Marigolds are plentiful at SCV florists and the valley's autumn markets, and papel picado banners add a festive touch.
The day is not about sadness. It is about remembering with joy, telling stories, and placing an extra place at the table. Families in Canyon Country, Newhall, Valencia, Saugus, and all across the valley do this every year, and a neighborhood with an ofrenda in the window is one of the most welcoming sights in October.
More ways to celebrate the season
Día de los Muertos is the heart of a busy local cultural season. Here is what else is on Sam's radar in October.
Hispanic Heritage Month
From Celebrate: Mexico to community spotlights, the valley's Hispanic heritage is front and center each fall.
Pumpkin Patches & Family Halloween
Every pumpkin patch, the Floating Pumpkin Patch, and family Halloween events across the valley, mapped for you.
Fall Events October & November
The full autumn lineup: Fright Fest, the Haunted Jailhouse, home haunts, the Pow Wow at Hart Park, and Veterans Day.
Curated by Sam Silver, 22-year SCV local. As soon as the City of Santa Clarita announces the exact 2026 Día de los Muertos date, Sam will share it here and on the SCV events calendar.