Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, holds a special place in many people’s hearts as they mourn the death of loved ones and celebrate their lives. 

The All Souls Procession in Tucson, however, takes this theme to a new level. 

Comprised of two parts — a procession and a finale during which a giant metal urn is lit ablaze over onlookers below — the event has grown into a holiday of its own.

From those new to Tucson to those who’ve lived in the Old Pueblo for years, the All Souls Procession is an event eagerly awaited every year. Both heart breaking and heart warming, the event is strange and magical in a way that’s uniquely Tucson. 

From the parade to the show, to the food and the urn, here’s everything to know to make the most of a trip to Tucson for the 2019 All Souls Procession.

First, attend the pre-procession party

Started in 1990, the All Souls Procession is an annual event on the first Sunday of November. Since its creation, the event has expanded to include smaller events throughout the year, culminating with a full weekend of events and a finale on Sunday night. 

The Sunday night event includes a pre-procession party at the procession starting point on Grande Avenue just west of downtown.

Head to the beginning of the procession early to get your face painted, listen to some music and grab dinner at one of the food trucks on hand. There also are food trucks at the end of the procession for those who prefer to eat later.

Some of the food trucks lined up for this year’s event include Sonoran Snoballs, You Sly Dog, Don Pedro’s Peruvian Bistro, Churros El Rey, Trucking Good Cupcakes and more. 

The pre-procession gathering takes place from 4 to 6 p.m. and is a good time to place your remembrances into the urn. Parking is not available along the route and street parking in the adjoining neighborhoods is rare if available at all. One of the easiest ways to get to the event is to use a ride-share service and get dropped off close to the beginning point. 

What to know about walking in the procession 

The first official event of the evening is a procession lead by the metal urn. This large metal sphere gathers mementos and notes to loved ones who have passed away as it travels along the procession route. 

Place your notes, trinkets or paper flowers — anything besides plastic is fine — in the urn as it travels through town, or, for easier access, add them at the starting point. Mourners and spectators arrive ready to walk, often with sugar skull face paint, costumes, giant puppets, mobile alters commemorating loved ones and more. 

While dressing up is not required, almost everyone does to varying degrees.

Floats mix throughout the crowd of people walking so be ready to stop to let them pass along in addition to stopping to watch any number of spontaneous musical performances. The full route of the procession is just short of 1.5 miles, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.

The Grand Finale at the fairgrounds 

The second part of the event is the grand finale, which takes place on a large stage close to Mercado San Agustin, a collection of shops and restaurants off Congress Street. 

Attendees walking in the procession meet the crowd at the finale for the start of the show. Floats and performers from the parade walk across the stage in a ceremonial opening ceremony called the Domo.

Once they walk across the stage signalling the end of the procession, the show can begin. This is where the event diverges from traditional Day of the Dead celebrations and takes on a character of its own. 

Fire dancers, acrobats, musicians and performers take turns entertaining the large crowd. This is your chance to explore the vendors and grab a bite to eat from one of the food trucks located at the northwest corner of the grounds.  

Make sure to be back within sight of the stage however, for the final event. A giant crane lifts the urn high into the sky where it dangles above the stage. Finally, the urn is set on fire incinerating all of its contents, ceremoniously releasing the prayers, memories and letters within. 

Tucson All Souls Procession

When: 4-10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3. 

Procession start: 6 p.m. on Grande Avenue south of Speedway Boulevard.

Finale: Between 8:30 and 9 p.m., once the entire procession arrives at the lot across from 100 S. Avenida del Convento. 

Details: allsoulsprocession.org.

Reach the reporter at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @tirionmorris, on Facebook at Tirion Rose and on Instagram at tirionrose. 

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