Events are updated regularly. Email any upcoming events to be added or questions to dayofthedead@mcn.org.
Download Schedule PDF or scroll down page for a printable calendar
- All of October
Huichol Indian Art featuring Dia de los Muertos Show at the Boonville General Store, Highway 128, Boonville 707.895.9477
- Saturday, October 1 – Wednesday, November 2
Day of the Dead Raffle for a Cemetery Plot, fundraiser for cemetery district. $10 a ticket or 3 for $25.
1st prize must be claimed by a resident or property owner of the MLRC District. Up to 8 cremains can be interred in one plot.
-Saturday, October 1
Paper Marigold Making Class (Free) at Safe Passage, 208 Dana Street, Fort Bragg, 11am – noon.
Come learn to make the flowers that traditionally decorate our ofrendas.-Friday,
-October 7
Shelters and Guardians (free) at Lost Coast Culture Machine, 190 E. Elm Street, Fort Bragg Wednesday through Sundays noon – 5 pm. New works by Miriam Davis and Carolyn Schneider
-Saturday, October 8
Artist’s Opening for Odd
Fellows Hall “Soulful Remembering” (Free) 5 pm – 8 pm
Includes 15 local artists, story quilts, altars and treasure boxes. An interactive learning ofrenda. A Remembrance Garden honors Matt Coleman, Jere Melo & Jonathan Shepherd. And a Day of the Dead crafts for sale corner. 10480 Kasten St, Mendocino 937-2486
-Sunday, October 9 - Tuesday, November1
“Soulful Remembering”celebrates memory of people and place. Day of the Dead, “Treasure Boxes of Remembrance”, “Memory Weave” and community art installations combine with work by many local artists to engage the visitor in a rich experience. Open Door Arts @ Odd Fellows, corner of Kasten & Ukiah, Mendocino Village, Daily 10-5 Art Show and Sale, through 11/1 from 11 am – 5 pm, 10480 Kasten St, Mendocino 937-2486
-Sunday, October 9
Cemetery Community Cleanup Day at Hillcrest Cemetery (Free) 10 – 2 Help with groundwork at Mendocino’s oldest cemetery, and enjoy a free tamale lunch for the volunteers. Bring work gloves, we supply tools. AND, there’s raffle for a free cemetery plot!
-Tuesday, October 11
Celebrating American Craft Week 3 – 4:30 pm
Craft workshops at Odd
Fellows Hall: Treasure Boxes of Remembrance. 10480 Kasten St, Mendocino 707.937.2486
-Thursday, October 13
Celebrating American Craft Week 3 – 4:30 pm
Embellishment workshop at Odd
Fellows Hall: decorate a maraca for the Candlelight Procession or a paper mâché skull for your own ofrenda. 10480 Kasten St, Mendocino 707.937.2486. Suggested donation, $10 for supplies.
-Saturday, October 15 - November 2
Collectable limited edition Letter Press poster for the Mendocino Coast Day of the Dead by Clo-Mor Press. Benefitting Safe Passage. This year’s image is a fanciful Katrina doll. $20. Available at Little
River Inn, Stanford Inn, Safe Passage and Clo Mor Press
-Saturday, October 15
Celebrating American Craft Week 3 – 4:30 pm
Craft workshops at Odd
Fellows Hal: Treasure Boxes of Remembrance. 10480 Kasten St, Mendocino 707.937.2486
-Sunday, October 16
Cemetery Community Cleanup Day at Evergreen Cemetery (Free) 10 – 2 Help with groundwork at a historic Mendocino cemetery cleanup, and enjoy a free tamale lunch for the volunteers. Bring work gloves, we supply tools. AND, there’s raffle for a free cemetery plot!
-Thursday, October 20
Circle of Grandmothers. (Free) An Intercambio opportunity for all. Stories, altar building and a lesson in paper marigolds, 5 – 6 :30 pm Redwood Coast Senior Center, 490 North Harold Street, Fort Bragg .
-Saturday, October 22
Vegan Mexican Menu Class Chef Barry Horton, of Local Love services previously the chef at the Raven's for 5+ years, is conducting a hands-on gourmet, vegan cooking class for dia de los muertos. Create a compassionate and delicious 3 course meal learning knife skills and vegan cookery. Bring your favorite knife. Appetizer: ground tempeh taquitos, Entrée: chile rellenos stuffed with walnut, mushroom & “cheese” filling, Dessert: Mexican Wedding cookies. Then enjoy the fruits of your labor to sit down 3 course lunch at Stanford inn, Highway One & the Comptche Ukiah Road. $55 From noon to 1:30 (meal to follow). For reservations, call the chefs directly. 510.917.0190
-Saturday, October 22
Remembrance Shrine Workshop with artist, teacher Susan Gross. Using a small painted Altoids tin as a base, we will be painting, collaging and creating a small portable shrine to honor our loved ones. These one-of-a-kind treasures can sit beside a candle and stay with you always. Please bring color or B/W copies of photos, prayers, old letters, etc. to use. Abalone Hall at Little River Inn, 7901 North Highway One, Little River. $10 for materials. 10 am – to 4:30ish (bring your own lunch). Limited space call to reserve a spot - 707.964.8465
-Sunday, October 22
Paper Marigold Making Class (Free) at the Coast Community Library in Point Arena, 225 Main St, Point Arena 2 pm in the Community Room. For more information, contact: Julia Larke, 882-3114 or jlarke@mcn.org
-Sunday, October 23
Sugar Skull Decorating Workshop at the Caspar Community Center 4-6pm
In a hands-on workshop, decorate a large sugar skull with enough time for it to set and use for your Day of the Dead altar. Reservations: email dayofthedead@mcn.org Bring a box if you want to transport your skull that night, or return later when it’s dry. Donations benefit the Day of the Dead Festival $10.
-Monday, October 24 through Wednesday, November 2 ALTAR TRAIL (click to download pdf directory) (FREE!) There are dozens of individual altars hosted by sites along the coast. Inns, stores and libraries will have ofrendas on display. To be on the map email dayofthedead@mcn.org.
-Tuesday, October 25
Project Sanctuary Fundraiser Dinner. Mexican themed fiesta at Little River Inn’s Whale Watch Bar. Dress up in your Day of the Dead costumes for the dine-out, door prizes and other surprises. 5:30 – 7:30.
-Thursday , October 27
Molé Day @ Stanford Inn. Tortilla demo and molé tasting and sangria. Sugar skull painting, coloring and face painting, all kid–friendly events. 3 – 5 p.m. $15 donation to the Humane Society. Reservations 937–5615, 44850 Comptche Ukiah Rd, Mendocino.
- Saturday, October 30 – Wednesday, November 2
ALTAR HALL @ the
Fort Bragg Town Hall. (Free!) Learn more about the traditions of Day of the Dead at a central and public display of personal memorials. Community groups and individuals share altars or ofrendas and the memories of those they love. Saturday set up: 9 – noon. Saturday display: noon – 6. Sunday display: 10 – 6 pm. Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday display: 10 – 5 pm. Thurs take down 10 – 4 pm. Sponsored by Project Sanctuary, FLOCKworks, Little River Inn, Black Bear Press & KOZT. Sign up for your own altar space - Download Application - email dayofthedead@mcn.org.
-Saturday, October 29
¡Viva México! Film screening and a talk with the producer, Daniela Contreras http://www.vivamexicofilm.com/ . In a journey from the mountains of southeastern Mexico to the northern border with the United States, Subcommander Marcos and the people of Mexico trace the forgotten face of a country. A celebration of the struggle for land and dignity. (Plus Day of the Dead crafts) Lost Coast Culture Machine, 190 East Elm Street, Fort Bragg, 7:00 Donation suggested. 707.961.1600
-Sunday, October 30
Special Candlelighting Ceremony conducted by Reverend Tanya Wyldflower, Chaplaincy Program Coordinator at MCDH, accompanied by master Harpist Roberta Belson, playing her full sized pedal harp in honor of the Day of the Dead for the 11am Sunday Celebration on October 30th at the Mendocino Center For Spiritual Living. Participants are welcome to bring flowers or pictures of their loved one to grace the altar. Reverend Tanya comments, “As we honor our loved ones who have made their transitions, we can also remember that we are truly loved.” Members of all faith communities (or none) are welcome to attend this special day to honor those who have gone on before us. There is a 10:30 am meditation prior to the Sunday Ceremony which is held in the community room at the Mendocino Recreation Center in Mendocino, corner of School and Pine.
-Tuesday, November 1
Fiesta of Chocolate at Living Light Culinary Café: Mexican Spiced Chocolate Milk, Ancho Chili Chocolate Truffles, and Coconut Dream Bars $5.00 (includes a $5.00 coupon good toward purchase at Living Light Marketplace.) 964-2420 @ the Company Store, 301 North Main Street, Fort Bragg. Café hours: 9 – 5:30pm
-Tuesday, November 1
Abuelo Stories on All Soul’s Night, Paul Garza, Jr presents a slideshow and talk on the joys of Dia de los Muertos and its ties to the tradition of Samhain. Living Light Abundant Health Classroom @ the Company Store, 301 North Main Street, Fort Bragg. 4 – 5:30. (The classroom is across from the Vicki Rae Salon.) Living Light will serve samples of the Molé “Queen of Kale” Chips. 964-2420 Donation suggested for the Festival.
-Tuesday, November 1,
Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund Fundraiser at Mendo Bistro award-winning chef Nicholas Petti will present a special, one-night only, Prix Fix menu featuring Mexican culinary delights at Fort Bragg's premiere eatery, Mendo Bistro. Dinner will be served from 5-9 pm and 100% of the proceeds of the evening will benefit local children through the Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund. Mendo Bistro is located at 301 N. Main Street, up the stairs in Fort Bragg's historic Company Store. For more information or reservations, call 964-4974
-Tuesday, November 1
Day of the Dead Party at Paysanne Ice Cream Shop. Decorate candles, make paper flowers, and add your photo of a loved one who has passed to our community shrine. Sweet delights, music and possibly tacos from the gypsy wagon...Raising funds for Art in the Schools. 3 pm Highway 128, Boonville
-Wednesday, November 2
Face Painting for Candlelight Processionat Lost Coast Culture Machine, 190 East Elm Street, Fort Bragg, 3:00 - 6:00, bring a friend and learn the art of Day of the Dead face painting. Then meet at ALTAR HALL @ the
Fort Bragg Town Hall to begin the procession.
-Wednesday, November 2
Day of the Dead Party Candlelight Procession of Remembrance through downtown Fort Bragg on Wednesday night at dusk. (Free!) In a tradition that is growing throughout the United States, we will celebrate the Day of the Dead, together in the dark with candles. Bring a picture of your departed and join us as we walk in memory of those we’ve lost. Dress up as a skeleton or a Katrina if you like and face painting will be available. Meet near the corner of Laurel and Franklin in Fort Bragg, and we will meander by the library to the senior center, where we will share cocoa, treats and stories.
