Where does the parade start?

At the Royal Palace, on the Plaza de Oriente side, and it ends in Plaza Mayor, according to the organizer's website. Its Oct 20 announcement put the start on Calle Bailén in front of the Palace. Some press still says the Mexican Embassy, which the organizer no longer lists. The streets in between are not published.

What time does it start?

The organizer's website says the parade starts at 6:00pm and the Plaza Mayor party follows at about 8:00pm. Arrive by 5:30pm if you want a spot near the start.

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.

Is there more than the parade?

Ánima Fest's other activities run Oct 29 to Nov 3. This page covers the parade on Sunday, Nov 1; the festival site, diademuertosmadrid.com, has the rest.

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Performance142 families interested

Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor

Name: Day of the Dead Parade: Giant Catrinas to Plaza Mayor
Start: 2026-11-01
End: 2026-11-01
Location: Plaza Mayor (where the parade ends)

When: Sun Nov 1
Ages: All ages
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

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PerformanceCentro142 families interested

Where

Centro, Plaza Mayor (where the parade ends)

Ages

All ages

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

Dates

Nov 1, 2026

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Where it is

Plaza Mayor (where the parade ends)

Plaza Mayor, 28012 Madrid

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