Festival of Life and Death 2026: Discover the Program and Plan Your Visit

For 19 years, the Festival of Life and Death has brought together at Xcaret a rich diversity of expressions that make Mexico a country where memory is not kept in silence: it is sung, cooked, danced, told, and shared.

For its 20th edition, the festival welcomes a new guest state: Guanajuato, a place where history lives in its streets, tunnels, and charming people.

Take a look at everything coming to the Festival of Life and Death 2026!

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When and Where Is the Festival of Life and Death 2026?

Xcaret Park: A Majestic Celebration of Mexico

Dates: October 30 to November 2, 2026.

During the festival, Xcaret Park becomes a stage that extends far beyond its usual spaces. Its plazas, paths, and hidden corners fill with stories that connect the present with expressions that have accompanied Mexico for generations.

This is where most of the festival program takes place: from altars honoring those who came before us to theater performances, concerts, dances, workshops, crafts, agricultural and food products, and culinary gatherings that celebrate the country's cultural diversity.

The Festival of Life and Death Comes to Xcaret Hotels

Dates: October 29 to November 2, 2026.

The celebration also extends to Xcaret Hotels, bringing the spirit of these days into a setting where hospitality, gastronomy, and Mexican culture become part of the same experience.

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A Festival That Honors Memory

Before the performances and music begin, there is a moment to pause.

The Ceremony That Opens the Way

The opening ceremony will mark the beginning of the festival's 20th edition, bringing visitors together to welcome a season in which memory takes on a special place.

Date: October 30
Time: 4:00 p.m. | 60 min.
Location: Xcaret Park Esplanade

The Performing Arts Tell Stories Between Life and Death

For four days, the arts will take center stage at the Festival of Life and Death. Regional stories, characters from Guanajuato, dance, guided walks, workshops, regional theater, exhibitions, and music will come together in a program that sees the performing arts as a way of keeping memory alive.

Here, tradition can become a catrina, a mummy, a moth, or even a character no one can seem to find. And that is part of the charm: in Mexico, even death has many stories to tell.

The Ópera Locos | Yllana

Five eccentric singers come together for a recital that soon spirals out of control, amid great composers, hidden passions, and situations as unexpected as they are amusing.

Yllana is an internationally acclaimed Spanish theater company and the recipient of numerous awards.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 6:45 and 8:15 p.m. | 60 min.
Venue: La Hacienda Hall
Age rating: All ages

Special Performance

Date: October 31
Time: 8:00 p.m. | 90 min.
Venue: La Isla
Age rating: All ages

La Llegada de Polilla | Creares Escénicas

Some stories about death are really about learning how to let go.

In La Llegada de Polilla, a girl, her mother, and a creature sent to take her away meet in a delicate story about love, loss, and the moment when life and death come face to face.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 5:15 and 7:45 p.m. | 45 min.
Venue: Guadalupe Chapel
Age rating: All ages

¿Y Dónde Está El Difunto? | Magia Escénica

A wake, a village full of secrets, and a deceased man who, much to everyone's surprise, seems to have gotten himself into more trouble than he ever managed to leave behind.

This comedy brings to the stage the irreverent humor of a tradition in which even saying goodbye to the dead can become a story worth telling over laughter.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 5:00 and 7:30 p.m. | 45 min.
Venue: Artisans' Village Islets
Age rating: Ages 3+

Elefante | Ópera Irreverente

Six elderly people, a nursing home, and a question that seems simple but perhaps no one can answer: what is truth?

Through music and imagination, Elefante turns the search for answers into a reflection on memory, friendship, and the things we continue to pursue even at the end of life.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. | 45 min.
Venue: Guadalupe Chapel
Age rating: Ages 4+

El Campanario De La Catrina | Erik de Luna

Guanajuato has many stories. And some of them are told by a catrina. Through bells, legends, and a generous dose of mischief, this theatrical journey takes audiences through the temples and stories that form part of Guanajuato's cultural imagination.

Date: October 31 and November 2
Time: 5:15 p.m. | 45 min.
Venue: La Isla
Age rating: Ages 3+

La Catrina de Tour por Guanajuato | Erik de Luna

If a catrina were to travel through Guanajuato, she would probably return with more stories than souvenirs.

From cajeta, strawberries, charamuscas, and mummies to winding alleyways, this performance turns a journey through the guest state into a trip filled with humor and popular tradition.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 5:30 p.m. | 45 min.
Venue: La Isla

Elogio Fúnebre Para Momias Distinguidas | Alejandra Díaz de Cossio

What if monuments could speak? In this theatrical journey, iconic characters and places from Guanajuato come to life to share their stories, turning the audience into part of a collective tribute to the state's memory and heritage.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 5:00–7:00 p.m. and 7:30–9:10 p.m. | Performances every 20 min.
Venue: Xcaret Plus Caves

La Momia y la Serpiente | Apolonio Mondragón

From the depths of Guanajuato, a mummy awakens to reveal secrets that remained hidden for years.

Through tunnels, legends, and stories passed down through oral tradition, this performance invites audiences to explore a territory where the past still seems to be waiting to be told.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, and 8:30 p.m. | 30 min.
Venue: Main Plaza

Live Music and Dance to Celebrate Life and Death

If altars remember and theater tells stories, music has another way of keeping memory alive: by giving it a voice.

Throughout the festival, the rhythms of Guanajuato will meet the musical traditions of the peninsula alongside new interpretations that remind us that Mexico has no single way of celebrating.

There will be sones, jaranas, huapangos, mariachi, and dance. But above all, there is something that brings them together: music as a way of belonging.

Featured Concert: "Serenata Para Las Almas" | Lorenzo Negrete and Mariachi Monumental de Xcaret

In Serenata Para Las Almas, Guanajuato-born singer Lorenzo Negrete and Mariachi Monumental de Xcaret come together to pay tribute to the melodies that have accompanied Mexican life from one generation to the next.

Through rancheras, sones, and songs that form part of our collective memory, each performance becomes a serenade for those who may no longer be here, but remain present in our stories and our voices.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 9:30 p.m. | 60 min.
Venue: Xcaret Open-Air Forum

Camino Real de Tierra Adentro | Folkloric Ballet of the University of Guanajuato

Through dances, jarabes, and sones, the Folkloric Ballet of the University of Guanajuato explores the traditions that have shaped the state's identity. The program features pieces such as Mujeres Dolientes, Guanajuato Colonial, La Danza del Torito: Entre la Vida y la Muerte, and Huapango Arribeño, in a journey where music and movement reveal the history of a land that continues to dance its roots.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 5:15 and 7:45 p.m. | 45 min.
Venue: Ball Game Court

Entremeses Cervantinos | University Theater of the University of Guanajuato

In Guanajuato, theater is also part of the heritage.

The tradition of Entremeses Cervantinos began in 1953, when the University Theater of the University of Guanajuato, under the direction of maestro Enrique Ruelas, brought the works of Miguel de Cervantes into the city's public spaces. More than seven decades later, the tradition continues to find new audiences, proving that a story can remain alive when it is performed again and again.

At the Festival of Life and Death, Entremeses Cervantinos becomes an encounter between literature, humor, and memory: a theatrical tradition that forms part of Guanajuato's cultural identity and continues to introduce new generations to the world of Cervantes.

Ball Game Court

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 5:15 p.m. | 45 min.

Open-Air Forum

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 7:45 p.m. | 45 min.

Las Palomitas Serranas

From the community of Palomas, in the heart of the Sierra Gorda of Guanajuato, comes a group whose voices carry the musical memory of their homeland.

Tulia, Mónica, and Patricia keep son and Huapango Arribeño alive through the jarana, quinta huapanguera, and violin. Recognized as the first all-female group in this genre, Las Palomitas Serranas share verses, sones, and melodies that have accompanied everyday life and celebrations in the communities of northeastern Guanajuato for generations.

More than simply performing a tradition, their voices help keep it moving forward.

Xcaret Esplanade Forum

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 6:15 p.m. | 30 min.

Xcaret Kiosk Forum

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 8:30 p.m. | 45 min.

Operativo Kafka | Lola Lince

What happens when dance attempts to answer the oldest questions of existence?

Operativo Kafka offers a symbolic journey through the cycles of life: origin, transformation, and the search for transcendence. Eight dancers move through these states using a language that brings together contemporary dance, visual arts, and a deeply physical narrative.

Inspired by elements of Mexican popular art, such as Guanajuato's Danza del Torito and the aesthetic of the Tastuanes of Jalisco, the work creates a dialogue between tradition and contemporary expression. An imaginary world where the absurd, the magical, and the human meet, reminding us that some questions can only be answered through the body.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 9:30 p.m. | 45 min.
Venue: La Hacienda

Tali Díaz y Los Díaz del Real

From Xichú, Guanajuato, Tali Díaz brings one of the Sierra's most deeply rooted musical traditions to the festival: Huapango Arribeño and Son Huasteco.

Accompanied by Los Díaz del Real, the musician and singer-songwriter belongs to a new generation of artists who see music as a way to preserve their identity and remain connected to the roots of their community.

Xcaret Kiosk Forum

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 6:00 p.m. | 45 min.

Xcaret Esplanade Forum

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 8:45 p.m. | 30 min.

Ritmo y Recuerdo: Ánimas Que Bailan | Folkloric Ensemble of Quintana Roo

The Folkloric Ensemble of Quintana Roo presents a tribute to those who remain present in collective memory through a performance that brings together music, dance, and tradition. Accompanied by the Real Yucatecan Orchestra and Jaranera Noh Beh, the program features classic jaranas, traditional suertes, and audience interaction to recreate the festive spirit of the vaquerías.

A celebration that looks toward those who have passed, while finding in music and dance a deeply living way to keep them close.

Open-Air Forum

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 6:15 p.m. | 45 min.

Ball Game Court

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 8:00 p.m. | 45 min.

Puente al Paraíso Cemetery

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 p.m. | 30 min.

Workshops That Bring You Closer to Mexican Traditions

Learning a tradition is also a way of keeping it alive. The workshops at the Festival of Life and Death invite you to experience Mexico from another perspective: through the people who make, cook, and pass these traditions on.

Salsa and Ceremonial Tortillas Workshop | Nicolasa López, Comonfort

This workshop explores two expressions of the state's traditional cuisine, offering an opportunity to learn about the ingredients, techniques, and symbolism that have accompanied these preparations for generations.

Venue: Artisans' Village Tortillería

Pan de Ánimas Workshop | Daniel Casas, Acámbaro

Pan de Ánimas from Acámbaro is part of a tradition deeply connected to Día de Muertos celebrations. In this workshop, its practitioners will share the knowledge and meaning behind a preparation that also becomes an offering.

Venue: Coconut Workshop

Guanajuato Comes to the Festival Through Its Flavors and Traditions

This year, Guanajuato arrives at Xcaret through its flavors, crafts, artists, and stories.

It is an invitation to discover a place where history lives in its streets, memory in its legends, and identity in the hands of those who cook, create, and keep traditional crafts alive.

Guanajuato and Quintana Roo Culinary Showcase

Eighteen traditional cooks will share the flavors of Guanajuato and Quintana Roo in a culinary showcase that brings together two regions united by the same richness: the diversity of Mexican cuisine.

Green chile de chorro mole, xoconostle mole, caldo capón, tamal de muerto, relleno negro, and cochinita pibil are just some of the flavors that will be part of this gathering.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 4:00–9:30 p.m.
Venue: Xcaret Esplanade

Handcraft and Agro-Industrial Showcase

This showcase brings together pieces and products that tell the story of work made by hand: ceramics, wood, leather, silver, papier-mâché, candle-making, and tinwork, among other expressions from Guanajuato and Quintana Roo.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: 4:00–10:00 p.m.
Venue: Xcaret Esplanade and Kiosk

A Mural Between Tradition and the Present: Alejandro Cortés – Boomzer

Alejandro Cortés, known as Boomzer, brings a contemporary perspective on Guanajuato's identity to the festival.

Through muralism, graffiti, and urban art, his work creates a dialogue between pre-Hispanic roots, nature, and the Mexican popular imagination.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: Permanent exhibition
Venue: Main Avenue

Guanajuato Hands, Creators of Identity | Photographs of Artisans

Before becoming a finished piece, a craft begins with knowledge.

This photographic exhibition celebrates precisely that moment: the hands that preserve techniques, transform materials, and pass on an identity from one generation to the next.

Date: October 30 to November 2
Time: Permanent exhibition
Venue: Ball Game Court

The Festival of Life and Death Is a Celebration for All Generations

At Hacienda de los Niños, the traditions of Guanajuato will find a space to welcome the little ones and bring them closer, through play and participation, to a celebration that forms part of Mexico's cultural identity.

With 13 interactive activities for the whole family, this space creates an encounter between generations: an opportunity for children to discover the stories, crafts, and traditions that their families have celebrated for years.

A Night to Remember: The Gala Concert

The Festival of Life and Death 2026 Gala Concert will bring Pandora and Flans together for a special presentation of the +Inesperado Tour, an encounter between two all-female groups whose music has accompanied several generations.

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On October 31, Gran Tlachco will become the setting for a night where nostalgia will have something to celebrate too: the songs that endure, the stories we share, and those memories that, even as the years pass, continue to find their way back to us.

Date: October 31
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Venue: Gran Tlachco

A Celebration That Reminds Us Where We Come From

For two decades, the Festival of Life and Death has found different ways to speak about the traditions that connect us and distinguish us as Mexicans. In every altar, every song, every dish, and every story, there is a part of Mexico that refuses to disappear.

For its 20th anniversary, the Festival of Life and Death once again brings these expressions together at Xcaret and welcomes Guanajuato as its guest state, reminding us that Mexico has no single story, no single voice, and no single way of celebrating. It has many.

And as long as we continue telling them, memory will remain alive.