By Sophia Boccard,

Architectural Designer

It’s that time of year again, when the city center wakes up to art, tradition, and familiar faces returning home for the season. The heat begins to ease (well, sort of!), Cultura announces its winter program lineup, and snowbirds make their descent south of the border from the U.S. and Canada. October is when Mazatlán’s Historic Center feels like she’s stretching awake after a long summer nap.  Sidewalks fill with more passersby, restaurants buzz with energy, the Plaza Machado hums with music from nearby rehearsals, theaters ready their stages, and the cultural calendar begins to bloom.

This is not to say Mazatlán goes quiet in the summer—far from it. Cultura is always hard at work, curating programs and performances year-round. Mazatlan’s Film & Theater, El Recreo, hosted sold out monologues and readings all summer long for those who live in town yearound. But it is undeniable that there’s a shift between what we call “low season” (May to October) and “high season” (November to April). The difference isn’t about effort, but about energy. As the weather cools and the city fills, the Historic Center becomes more vibrant, more alive, and more communal.

At the heart of it all is the build-up to Día de los Muertos on November 1 and 2. While the holiday is observed across Mexico, Mazatlán brings it alive in ways both deeply traditional and uniquely its own. Families build altars adorned with marigolds, candles, and photographs to honor their loved ones, while neighborhoods and public spaces fill with papel picado fluttering in the breeze. The Historic Center hosts a callejoneada parade that transforms the streets around the Plaza Machado into a sea of stilt walkers, catrinas, and folk dancers, sprinkled with locals and visitors alike who join in by dressing up in skeleton and catrina face paint, marching together in celebration.

Día de los Muertos isn’t about mourning. It’s about honoring, remembering, and celebrating lives well-lived. The roots of the holiday stretch back thousands of years to the Aztec and other Mesoamerican cultures who saw death as a natural part of life and celebrated their ancestors with festivals. Centuries later, Spanish colonization layered Catholic traditions on top of these ancient rituals, paving the way for the rich, colorful observance we know today. Here in Mazatlán, it’s a vibrant reminder that heritage is alive, evolving, and meant to be shared. The public can visit nearby altars that are typically placed in the Museum of Art, La Casa del Caracol bookstore, Mazatlán Film & Theatre, CICMA, and other participating restaurants in the area—also stop by the Pacific Pearl offices to see our own altar and say hello!

And sharing is what October in Mazatlán is really about. Seasonal residents—snowbirds, expats, residentes permanentes, however they like to be called—return just in time to be part of the heartbeat of the city again. Their arrival is perfectly timed with the cultural season, filling theater seats at the Ángela Peralta, adding energy to the Historic Center cafés and restaurants, and lending hands to nonprofits that count on volunteers. The city feels fuller, livelier, and more connected. It’s a joy to walk downtown during the day and see sidewalks bustling with people revisiting their favorite spots.

This mix of locals, expats, and visitors creates something truly special. Locals carry traditions forward, expats join in by building altars or painting their faces for the callejoneada, and visitors are welcomed into the rhythm of it all. October reminds us that Mazatlán isn’t just a place to live—it’s a place to belong. Also coming soon is the annual Artwalk Mazatlán, which begins its 2025–2026 season on November 7.

So, how do you join in? This October, don’t just watch from the sidelines as the city prepares for its most vibrant traditions—go and be part of the lead-up! Attend a performance at the Ángela Peralta. Stroll the historic streets during the Día de los Muertos parade. Visit the community altars around town. Share pan de muerto and a story with a neighbor. By the time November’s celebrations arrive, you won’t feel like a spectator—you’ll already be an active participant. Mazatlán’s cultural season isn’t just about the events on a calendar, it’s about participating in a vibrant community that you call home.