This fall, two Día de los Muertos celebrations on opposite ends of the bay already have firm 2026 dates locked in, and you can build a full week of altars, mariachi, and Aztec danza around them without leaving the area or blowing the family budget. One is literally on Story Rd in East San Jose. The other is a quick BART ride to Lake Merritt.
Bring the kids, bring the abuelos, and bring a photo of someone you’ve lost for the community ofrendas — both events welcome offerings.
Micailhuitl at History Park — Right On Story Rd
Calpulli Tonalehqueh, the Aztec dance group established in East San Jose in 2004, hosts its 22nd annual Micailhuitl on the History Park grounds.
Expect kids’ activities, food trucks, arts and crafts vendors, face painters, a large community ofrenda where families place photos of their loved ones, contests, and live danza. Familia-friendly, low-key, and walking-distance familiar territory for East Side residents.
– When: Saturday, October 31 – Sunday, November 1, 2026- Where: History Park, 749 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95112- Cost: Free / by donation, per past years- Details: aztecadancers.com/dia-de-los-muertos
OMCA’s 32nd Annual Día de los Muertos — Worth the BART Ride
The Oakland Museum of California’s 32nd Annual Día de los Muertos Community Celebration is the largest museum-based ofrenda day in the East Bay, and the 2025 edition sold out in advance — reserve early.
The day opens with a Día de los Muertos Committee procession and runs through Aztec danza, mariachi, sugar skull demos, a tortilla-making workshop, mask-making and miniature altar stations for the kids, traditional limpias (cleansing rituals), and a mercado of local artisans. ASL interpretation is provided in the Garden and Amphitheater, with Spanish and Nahuatl interpretation during ceremonies. All ages welcome; kids under 12 free.
– When: Sunday, October 25, 2026, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.- Where: Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, CA 94607- Cost: $10 general (festival + galleries); free for OMCA members and children under 12, advance reservations required- Tickets: museumca.org/dia-de-los-muertos…