New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, NYC: Día de los Muertos Trail and Puppet Procession

The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is running a new seasonal event this year: Día de los Muertos, open October 3 through November 2, 2026. According to the Garden, it's a celebration of memory, life and renewal built around vivid marigolds and a community ofrenda.

The centerpiece is a trail, centered on the Everett Children's Adventure Garden, with friendly spirit guides, artfully arranged calaveras and a larger-than-life Catrina adorned with colorful flowers. Papel picado flutters overhead, and the setting includes fall foliage and festive pumpkins.

Visitors can honor loved ones at the community ofrenda by adding a photograph or a written memory. Everything contributed becomes part of the installation and is not returned, and offerings of food and candles are not permitted.

On the weekend of October 24 and 25, hands-on workshops run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bronx-based teaching artist Blanka Amezkua, a Mexican-American contemporary artist, leads visitors in making silk flowers to wear and take home, and in creating miniature papel picado banners, the traditional Mexican paper-cutting art. Those same days also bring folk music sets at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. at the entrance to the Everett Children's Adventure Garden, performed by Son Pecadores, an NYC collective of jaraneros dedicated to son jarocho, the folk music of Veracruz.

The Garden also lists a Procession of Puppets on select dates and times, featuring giant hand-made skeleton puppets by the internationally known artist Lucrecia Novoa. Giant monarch butterfly puppets are billed for the parade on October 24 and 25. A Día de los Muertos parade follows on Sunday, November 1 at 2 p.m. The trail and the Adventure Garden close at 5 p.m. on November 1 and 2.

Tickets are sold through the NYBG website.