Día de los Muertos in Indianapolis: Altars, Memory, and What I’m Bringing to Crown Hill
Julysa Sosa, a Mexican fine artist based in Indianapolis, will be at the Día de los Muertos celebration at Crown Hill Cemetery on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with handmade vanity altar candles and mini altar frames drawn from her installation work.
When is Día de los Muertos in 2026?
Día de los Muertos is observed on November 1 and 2. In 2026, that falls on Sunday, November 1, and Monday, November 2. Many cities, including Indianapolis, hold public celebrations in the days or weeks leading up to it.
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition for honoring people who have died. Families build ofrendas, or altars, with photographs, marigolds, candles, food, and objects the person loved, so that the dead are welcomed home for a short visit. The holiday carries Indigenous roots, including Nahua traditions of honoring the dead, layered with Catholic observances of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days.
Where can I celebrate Día de los Muertos in Indianapolis?
Crown Hill Cemetery, at 700 W. 38th St., hosts a public Día de los Muertos celebration. In 2026 it takes place on Sunday, October 25, from 12 PM to 5 PM. You can find me at my table there.
The story behind the candles
The vanity altar candle reproduces a hand-carved panel from my installation Altar de la Recámara: Mujer, Ollin, Memoria, which was shown in Madre_Land at Centro de Artes Gallery in San Antonio. It is about the duality of a single self, the person you are and the person you are becoming.
The mini altar frames come from the same thinking. They are small enough to hold one photograph and one memory.
How I’m spending the day itself
On November 1, I’ll make pan de muerto with my family and gather around the altar to honor our ancestors. That part isn’t public, but equally important.
FAQ
Is there a Día de los Muertos event in Indianapolis in 2026? Yes. Crown Hill Cemetery hosts a public celebration on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Where can I buy handmade Día de los Muertos altar items in Indianapolis? Julysa Sosa sells handmade vanity altar candles and mini altar frames at the Crown Hill celebration and at her November open studio at CAMi.
What goes on an ofrenda? Photographs of the person being honored, marigolds, candles, water, pan de muerto, and objects or foods they loved.
