Halloween is on a Friday this year, which means you might be tempted to throw back kamikaze shots like you’re in college again, knowing you have the whole weekend to recover. But the season’s spooky festivities don’t end with October.

Día de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is a celebration of deceased loved ones that takes place on November 1 and 2. The holiday traces its roots back to the Aztecs, evolving to include aspects of Spanish Catholicism. From building ofrendas (altars), baking pan de muerto, and visiting the graves of loved ones, Latin American communities practice these traditions to commune with the departed.

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So don’t go too hard on Halloween; you’ll want to be well enough to join in these Día de los Muertos festivities around Denver, taking place throughout the first two weeks of November.

Catrinas en mi Ciudad Cultural Art Exhibit

Art Exhibit
Colorful skulls lined up along the Denver Performing Arts Center. Photo courtesy of Alexis Newton
  • Location: 1400 Curtis St., Denver (Downtown)
  • Date & Time: Now–November 2, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
  • Cost: Free

Don’t get it twisted: These are not your dad’s Halloween decorations. Catrinas en mi Ciudad is a large-scale outdoor art exhibit at the Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Center. Admire towering skeletons adorned in marigolds and rows of oversize skulls painted with designs by Mexican artists Ricardo Soltero, Cooperativa Jaen Cartonería, Colección Serpentina, and Osvaldo Ruelas Ramírez.

Día de los Muertos 5K Run

Dia De Los Muertos 5K Run
Cheers with tasty brews after finishing the Dia De Los Muertos 5K Run 2020. Photo courtesy of Colorado Brewery Running Series
  • Location: 2501 Dallas St. #148, Aurora
  • Date & Time: November 1, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
  • Cost: $41–$62

Sweat out the previous night’s antics during this roughly three-mile jaunt, starting and ending at Cheluna Brewing. Walk or run around North Aurora, then reward yourself with a free craft brew at the finish line. Participants will also receive a collector’s pint glass, a chance to win cool prizes (take-home tipples, anyone?), and an afternoon of games, music, and more.

Denver Public Library Festival de la Llorona

  • Location: 1890 S. Grove St., Denver (Mar Lee)
  • Date & Time: November 1, 2–4 p.m.
  • Cost: Free

Who says ghost stories are just for Halloween? The unsettling tale of la Llorona from Hispanic folklore is far spookier than any headless horseman. Head to the Hadley Branch Library to hear it from some of the state’s best storytellers. But be warned: The Weeping Woman has been known to lure people to their deaths with her siren-like wails.

Dia De Los Muertos Sip + Paint

Sip & Paint
Sugar skull mugs. Photo courtesy of TAG Restaurant Group
  • Location: 4959 S Newport St., Denver (Southmoor Park)
  • Date & Time: November 1, 5–7 p.m.
  • Cost: $49

If you’re looking for a low-key way to celebrate, settle in for a night of arts and crafts at Los Chingones in the Denver Tech Center. Skull mug and paint supplies are provided, but you’ll need to bring the creativity. (If you’re more left-brained, the complimentary Milagro marg should ignite your artistic spark.) Snack on chips, dips, and churros throughout the evening.

Día de Los Muertos Clay Workshop

  • Location: 2501 Dallas Street #148, Aurora
  • Date & Time: November 2, 12–3 p.m.
  • Cost: $87–$105

Although most Día de los Muertos skulls are made of sugar, this Stanley Marketplace workshop swaps the sweet foundation for something that’ll last a little longer: clay. Over the course of three hours, an instructor will teach you how to create la Calavera Catrina (the elegant skull), an icon of the holiday. First, you’ll learn the “pinch pot” method to carve your skull, then you’ll adorn it with a variety of flowers using the “pastillaje” technique. While your skull dries, enjoy traditional holiday bread from a local Mexican bakery.

Día de Muertos First Friday Art Walk

First Friday Art Walk
First Friday Art Walk for Día de los Muertos. Photo by Liz Levy, courtesy of Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe
  • Location: 858 Santa Fe Drive, Denver (Lincoln Park)
  • Date & Time: November 7, 5:30–9 p.m.
  • Cost: Free

The festivities of Día de los Muertos don’t stop after the weekend. The Art District on Santa Fe is hosting a specially themed art walk with calavera face-painting stations, community altars, and a community procession to Museo de las Américas. Locals can submit photos of their loved ones to be included in the community photo memorial, which will also be projected on the Daniels & Fisher Tower.

Muertos en Westwood Street Festival

  • Location: 3929 Morrison Road, Denver (Westwood)
  • Date & Time: November 7, 6–9 p.m.; November 8, 12–8 p.m.; and November 9, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Cost: Free

During Dia de los Muertos, the boundaries between earth and the afterlife are blurred as the spirits of departed family members return for a brief reunion. This year’s Muertos en Westwood festival encourages participants to blur a different kind of boundary: the human-made ones dividing us. At a time when ICE raids dominate headlines, organizers have chosen “migration” as the theme, a reminder that our stories and families often transcend borders. The three-day celebration will include community altars, art installations, live music, and food from local vendors.