ANNUAL COMMUNITY Altar + EVENT SERIES

Dia De Los Muertos
Sacred Remembering Practices + Celebrating and Honoring our Beloved Dead

REGISTRATIONS + SEND A NAME OPEN IN THE FALL

Check the Event Calendar for updates on Dia De Los Muertos events and celebrations. All are welcome to view and use the altar without sign-up.
Altar Hours: Mon - Sun. 8AM - 10PM
Altar Address: 1545 McKendrie St., San Jose, CA 95126

WHY WE BUILD IT

Altars and ceremonial practices help us connect with deeper meaning. For many years I have practiced Sacred and Ceremonial Arts. Among these practices are the traditions inspired by my Latin-American ancestry; the creation of ancestor altars during the time leading up to and including Dia De Los Muertos (October-November). These “ofrendas” and practices originated in pre-colonial indigenous cultures and are built today to remember our beloved dead and our ancestors; to ceremonially and ritually honor and invite them into our lives, and occupy a place of honor in our homes. This is a time of joyful celebration of life and of our continued connection to those we hold in our hearts. For many years our family ofrenda remained a private practice and held its place of honor in my home. Upon the urging of my youngest daughter and the requests of others, I began offering this sacred remembering-practice to my greater community with the building and tending of a public altera and ofrenda in my front yard for family, friends, neighbors, and strangers to participate in and interact with in the ways they felt called to. The altar is now a community tradition and all are invited to write messages or the names of their beloved dead, place images and offerings on the altar, spend time in meditation, celebration, story-telling, prayer, song, or other forms of practice that brings them closer to the memory of their loved ones. Offerings left after the disassembly of the altar are blessed and tended to. Items that can be are ritually burned and released as prayers on the smoke of a ceremonial fire and sacred copal, those that can not are blessed and respectfully donated or disposed of. This community altar has become a gathering place for people to share, a bridge between cultures and generations, and a beautiful and magical space for all. I am honored and humbled by the way this offering of living history is embraced by the community and the ways in which it evolves to meet their needs and capacities.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER EVENTS

PAPER MARIGOLD FLOWER MAKING

FREE EVENT
Saturday, 12:00 PM
October 11, 2025
Plant & Soul California, 76 Race St., San Jose, CA 95126

Dia de los Muertos altars take diverse forms and the traditions vary across regions and villages. There are, however, common themes and threads that run throughout many of the ofrendas and festivities. One notable element is the cempaxochitl, or marigold flower, an essential part of most Dia de los Muertos altars since pre-columbian times. These flowers are used to form real and metaphorical gateways, paths, floral murals, and symbols lending beauty, color, and fragrance to our altars. 

We gather every October to make the many paper marigolds that will later be used to decorate the community ofrenda and for ourselves (take one home for your own remembering practice). This is a wonderful day of fun and crafting and is an opportunity to connect with old friends, make new ones, and learn about some of the traditions and practices of Dia De Los Muertos. All materials are provided.

All are welcome (Family Friendly)
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Sign-up necessary for planning purposes.

REGISTRATION OPENS SEPTEMBER 1

VISITING THE ALTAR +

FREE EVENT
Monday - Sunday 8am - 10pm
October 19 - November 7, 2025
1545 McKendrie St., San Jose, CA 95126

Come. Bring your friends and family. Remember and honor your beloved dead. This is your altar. 

There are innumerable ways and opportunities to participate and the Ofrenda is accessible to all, for the entire duration of the event, from the October assembly through the November fire ceremony (weather permitting). Please be mindful that the altar is in our yard but respectful participation and contemplation are encouraged without time-limits, no permission necessary. The altar is always open. Sign-ups necessary for planning purposes only if participating in paper flower crafting or disassembly/fire (max 15 people/event, due to physical space limitations). Please join us; many hands and hearts make the greatest magic. Our community is not defined by geographical-space but by heart-space and we welcome you into ours.

Please note that the altar is outside and accessible to the public. Use offerings and remembrance items you are comfortable leaving in the elements, unguarded. If it is important to you that your item be part of the closing Fire Ceremony, please note that laminated items and items otherwise unsuitable for burning cannot go into the Ritual Fire. Please collect any personal items you wish to keep by the day before the Fire Ceremony or join us at 12:00 on Nov. 8th, as we unite for the loving disassembly of the altar and closing ritual fire (sign-up necessary), in the culmination of our annual remembering practice.

This is a family-friendly, inclusive, loving, safer space. If an offering is deemed inappropriate it will be removed, blessed, and respectfully disposed of.

No Sign Up Necessary

SEND A NAME +

FREE
October 1 - November 7
Dia de los Angelitos + Dia de los Muertos occur Nov. 1 - 2

Our community is not defined by geography and you are welcome into ours. Those unable to visit the ofrenda in person are invited to send names, photographs, objects, poems, and other appropriate items for inclusion in the community ofrenda. Items that cannot be sent digitally may be mailed via carrier of your choice. These will be lovingly added among our beloved dead. Please send only what you do not need returned as I am unable to send items back after the ofrenda space is closed. 

This is a family-friendly, inclusive, loving, safer space. If an offering is deemed inappropriate it will be removed, blessed, and respectfully disposed of.

ALTAR DISSASEMBLY + CLOSING CEREMONIAL FIRE

FREE EVENT
Saturday, 12:00 PM
November 8, 2025
San Jose Rose Garden Area

Together, we lovingly disassemble the altar space and pack the items to be reused next year. Once we complete this work, we gather around our ceremonial fire, speak the names of the dead and burn offerings left on the altar. We use herbs and sacred copal resin (a traditional offering) to send our prayers and blessings upon the smoke as we bid our beloved dead farewell until we reunite at the altar next year. We share tears and laughter as a community. The fire ceremony is not a traditional Dia de los Muertos practice. It is a practice I used with my own ofrenda before I began offering and tending the community ofrenda, and it has endured as a meaningful part of our community tradition.

Please plan to stay for the duration of the event. If your time is limited we appreciate and welcome your participation in the disassembly and will say our goodbyes before the start of the fire ceremony. Once we set the ritual space for our fire, we ask that you remain through the closing of the ceremony, as we hold and work in sacred space together. 

This event is family friendly and all are welcome.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Duration of event depends on number of participants and how efficiently we disassemble the altar space.

REGISTRATION OPENS OCTOBER 1

GUIDE +
Remembering Our Beloved Dead: building a personal altar and remembering practice

RESOURCES +
Dia De Los Muertos resources and book list: a collection of book suggestions curated by sister-altar-builder Natasha Bodorff, Boulder, CO

SEND A NAME +
Our Community is not defined by geography. If you wish to be a part of this practice but cannot do so in person you may send names of your beloved dead and they will be included in our altar.

CALAVERAS +
Learn the art and tradition of Mexican sugar skull calavera painting. Create a beautiful, durable, and meaningful symbol of a departed loved one or ancestor for your personal remembering practice.