Where does the parade start?

The organizer has given two answers: the Mexican Embassy on Carrera de San Jerónimo (its website), and Calle Bailén by the Royal Palace (its Oct 20 announcement). Either way it ends in Plaza Mayor, so the simplest plan is to watch along Calle Mayor or wait in the square.

What time does it start?

The organizer's program says 6:00pm. Its website banner still shows 5:00pm, so arrive by 5:30pm if you want a spot near the start. The Plaza Mayor party follows at about 8:00pm.

Is it free, and do we need to sign up?

Yes, free. Only people marching in the parade register. Watching from the street needs nothing.

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This weekendPerformance

Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor

Name: Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor
Start: 2026-10-29
End: 2026-11-03T23:59:59
Location: Plaza Mayor (where the parade ends)

When: Oct 29 - Nov 3
Ages: 4–12
Price: Free

Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor photo 2

Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor photo 3

Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor photo 4

PerformanceCentro

Where

Centro, Plaza Mayor (where the parade ends)

Ages

4–12

Setting

Outdoors

Music

Live music

Original title

Un macro desfile de catrinas gigantes y carrozas monumentales recorre el centro de Madrid para acabar en la Plaza Mayor

What you need to know

A big procession: more than 500 participants and two monumental floats, so expect a full-scale parade, not a small neighborhood one
Ends in a dance party: Plaza Mayor fills with live music, dance and folklore once the parade arrives
Pair it with an altar: Casa de México's yearly Altar de Muertos is styled as a Michoacán mountain cemetery with marigolds, candles and petal paths

About

Ánima Fest is a new festival bringing Mexico's Day of the Dead to central Madrid, run by REM with the Mexican state of Querétaro. Its big moment is the parade: giant catrinas, the elegantly dressed skeleton figures of the holiday, with monumental floats and more than a hundred artists. It suits kids who like costumes, color and big street spectacle, and families curious about one of Mexico's biggest holidays.

Free

Sun, Nov 1

6:00 PM

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Where it is

Plaza Mayor (where the parade ends)

Plaza Mayor, 28012 Madrid

Getting there

Metro: Sol L1/L2/L3 (6 min walk), Ópera L2/L5/R (7 min walk), La Latina L5 (7 min walk)
Bus: Mayor - Siete de Julio (2 min walk), Parada Busvision Mayor 47 (2 min walk), Plaza Mayor 17/18/23/31/35/50 (2 min walk)
Notes: The parade starts at the Mexican Embassy, crosses Puerta del Sol and ends at Plaza Mayor, so Sol metro is the handiest stop for the route.

Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor

Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor

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