Photo: Martin Herrera Miranda / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Published Thursday, 29 October, 4:30 a.m. ET (2:30 a.m. Mexico City) · Source: Instituto Mexicano de la Juventud, Mexico City government

Mexico’s young people are picking up paintbrushes today for a Day of the Dead mural that organisers hope will be the biggest of its kind. It is the newest chapter in our Day of the Dead coverage, ahead of the 1–2 November holiday.

Key Facts

• What: Mexico’s federal youth institute (IMJUVE) leads a Day of the Dead mural drive on Thursday, 29 October.
• Scale: 109,842 people aged 12 to 29 registered in 574 municipalities, with 1,545 murals logged.
• Reach: Activities take place in all 32 Mexican states.
• Not yet known: final totals and any world-record certification have not been published.

What Is Happening

The Instituto Mexicano de la Juventud (IMJUVE), Mexico’s federal youth institute, has invited young people to paint Day of the Dead murals in schools, public squares and community spaces. The drive is part of Jóvenes Transformando México (“Youth Transforming Mexico”), a federal youth programme.

By the latest count, 109,842 participants had registered across 574 municipalities. They have logged 1,545 murals so far.

The effort runs with the federal ministries of the Interior (Gobernación), Welfare and Public Education. Comex, a paint maker, and CIRCA 24, which will produce a documentary and a national photo gallery, are also involved.

Candlelit cemetery in Mixquic, near Mexico City, on the Day of the Dead (file photo)

Why It Matters

Day of the Dead honours the dead with altars, marigolds and painted skulls, and it draws millions of visitors to Mexico each year. This project moves the celebration beyond the capital and into every state.

Organisers say they want to promote young artists and recover public spaces. Participants can also apply for a muralism diploma course in 2027, in person or online.

What To Watch

Organisers describe the result as the world’s largest themed mural. IMJUVE has not yet published a final verified count, and no record body has confirmed the claim.

The city’s main parade is on Saturday, 31 October, at 2 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET), from the Diana the Huntress fountain on Reforma avenue to the Zócalo, the central square.

Mexico City’s Own Show

The capital is running its own programme alongside the national drive. Its culture secretary, Ana Francis López Bayghen Patiño, has announced a 32-metre Catrina, the elegant skeleton-lady icon of the holiday, for the monumental offering in the Zócalo.

That display opens on Thursday, 29 October, and runs through Monday, 2 November. The parade follows Reforma, Juárez, Eje Central and 5 de Mayo avenues, so expect road closures downtown on Saturday.

What It Means for US Readers

Travellers can follow the mural drive through IMJUVE and local government announcements today. For the parade, plan for a 4 p.m. ET start on Saturday, when US clocks are still on daylight time.

What Is Not Known

The national schedule and venues for the mural drive have not been published. Final participation, the counting method and any record certification are also unknown.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Mexico’s Day of the Dead mural drive?

It takes place on Thursday, 29 October 2026, with activities in all 32 states. No national start time has been published.

How many people have signed up?

By the latest count, 109,842 participants had registered across 574 municipalities, with 1,545 murals logged. The drive targets people aged 12 to 29.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error