Día de los Muertos
Desfile & Festival

General Guidelines:

1. Appropriate Attire and Icons: Parade participants are expected to align with the theme of Día de los Muertos and to respectfully highlight the symbols and elements associated with this cultural celebration. Some culturally relevant symbols include calaveras, marigolds, monarch butterflies, pan de muerto, altars and so on.
2. While not required, following the annual theme is preferred (alebrijes). Participants may choose to celebrate using their family traditions too.
3. Any individuals participating, whether marching individually or accompanying a float, should be costumed appropriately and/or have their faces painted in a calavera style/be wearing a calavera mask.
4. Absolutely NO Halloween themed floats and entries are allowed.
5. Participants who violate the guidelines for appropriate attire/icons and instructions will be asked to leave parade lineup.
6. Floats, mojigangas, alebrijes, well-behaved animals, and individuals are invited to participate.
7. Every PARTICIPANT entering animals in the parade must provide sanitation services for their animals.
8. Small businesses interested in participating will be asked to enter the parade as sponsors for a fee. This fee is required to be paid by August 1st, 2025 to secure a spot in the parade. Logos and official business name will be asked for at this time so to be featured on parade programming.
9. All parade participating groups and organizations must have a banner or sign identifying them at their time of procession.
10. All parade participants are expected to behave in an appropriate manner, follow MCAD staff instructions and be good neighbors to fellow parade participants.
11. MCAD has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind. Participants failing to follow parade guidelines will be dismissed from the parade and barred from future participation in MCAD events.

Walking Groups & Floats

• Walking groups are limited to a max of 50 walkers per entry.
• All walking groups must carry a banner or sign introducing the group to the audience.
• Walking groups must feature live or recorded music in the procession. WiFi or cell phone service-based playlists are mostly blotchy due to large population attendance. Please be prepared with a physically plugged in playlist or alternative.
• Float entries must not exceed the following dimensions:
  Length: 35 ft.
  Width: 20 ft.
  Height: 14 ft.
• Low-rider cars and motorcycles welcome. Car clubs will have a limit of 5 entries, with a max of 6 vehicles per club. All car clubs must adhere to the Día de los Muertos theme and have automobile and motorcycle entries decorated appropriately. (Sport cars without relevance to theme will not be accepted.)
• Floats under 14 Feet: Arrival will be on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m.
• The Parade will start at 4:00 p.m. with no delays.

Parade FAQs

1. Are animals allowed in the parade?
   Yes, animals are allowed to be in the parade. All animals must be well-behaved and not a danger to the public.
2. Parade participants must clean up any accidents made by participating animals.
   Failure to clean up after animals will result in cleaning fees assessed to the participant.
3. Is there a minimum age for participating?
   There is no minimum age for participants, but minors must be accompanied by parents or guardians at all times.
4. Can I pass out candy/flyers/etc.?
   No candy or flyers are allowed to limit trash on the parade route, and for participant safety.
5. Are there vehicle restrictions?
   There are no vehicle restrictions- however, all vehicles must be in working order and decorated for the event unless they are specialty vehicles like low riders.
6. Can scooters, roller skates, and skateboards participate?
   Riding on scooters, skateboards and roller skates is permitted as long as participants are dressed according to the Día de los Muertos theme and wearing the appropriate safety gear.
7. How long will the parade last?
   Depending on the number of participants, the parade can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
8. How long is the parade route?
   The parade route is approximately 1.4 miles long, with slight inclines. Please pace accordingly.
9. What do we do if there’s an emergency during the parade among participants (i.e. injury)?
   In case of an emergency, find festival staff (wearing STAFF t-shirts) and police officers, if necessary.

Get Involved!

Volunteer
Experience Día de los Muertos as a part of the team! We are in search of volunteers that can participate during set up on the days leading up to the event, one or multiple shifts, as well as break-down. If interested, please fill out the MACC Volunteer form.

Donate & Sponsor
We have multiple opportunities for you to get involved, whether its sponsoring the parade, a performance, or activity. Click here to check out our Día de los Muertos 2025 Sponsorship Opportunities.