Giant Monarch Puppets Parade Through the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, Oct. 24–25

Giant monarch puppets will move through the Everett Children's Adventure Garden at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx this weekend, on October 24 and 25, from 11 am to 3 pm each day. The appearance is part of Día de los Muertos, which runs from October 3 through November 2 and is the first time NYBG has staged the celebration. Entry is covered by the All-Garden Pass.

Día de los Muertos is the Mexican tradition of remembering and celebrating people who have died. At NYBG the setting includes marigold blooms, a community ofrenda where visitors can leave a photograph or a written memory, and a trail of calaveras led by friendly spirit guides. A larger-than-life Catrina dressed in colorful flowers stands among them. Items left on the altar become part of the installation and are not returned, and offerings of food and candles are not permitted.

The garden lists puppets as a "Procession of Puppets" on its event page, describing giant hand-made skeleton figures by the internationally known artist Lucrecia Novoa.

Other programs run the same weekend. From 11 am to 3 pm, Bronx-based teaching artist Blanka Amezkua leads hands-on workshops in papel picado, the Mexican paper-banner craft, and in making silk flowers to wear and take home. Son Pecadores, an NYC collective of jaraneros who play son jarocho, the folk music of Veracruz, performs sets at 11 am, 12 and 1 pm at the entrance to the Children's Adventure Garden. The kids' activity program, Mariposas and Marigolds, runs 11 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

A Día de los Muertos parade is planned for Sunday, November 1, at 2 pm. On November 1 and 2, the trail and the Children's Adventure Garden close at 5 pm.

The garden is at 2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx.