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The Oldham County History Center will present its festive Annual Día de los Muertos Festival on Saturday, November 1, 2025, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the History Center campus, 106 North 2nd Avenue, La Grange. This colorful, family-friendly event is free and open to all. Day of the Dead is a time-honored Mexican holiday that celebrates the lives of loved ones who have passed away, blending remembrance with festive community traditions. The History Center’s event will feature beautiful altars (ofrendas), traditional music and dance, face painting, a parade, and vendors offering authentic foods and gift items. Vendor-partners this year will include Taqueria Danny, La Pana, Neveria y Paleteria 5 De Mayo, and Artesanías Maritza.
Guests are invited to join in a joyful celebration of remembrance, culture, music, and community. Festivities include:
3:00pm – Face painting, live mariachi music, vendors, food trucks, altar displays (ofrendas)
4:00pm – Community Parade through historic downtown LaGrange, everyone is welcome to walk and celebrate together. (More info below.)
5:30pm – Cultural dance performances and additional music
6:30pm – Catrina Contest. (More info below.)
Ofrenda Creation and Display:
An ofrenda is collection of articles or “offerings” on an altar that represent the favorite things of a loved one who has passed. The practice of creating these altar displays is central to the Day of the Dead celebration. You are invited to visit this special exhibition of authentic ofrendas during the month of October at the Oldham County History Center.
If you would like to participate in this tradition and create your own altar, you are welcome to do so. Altar installation must be completed September 29th-30th, at the Rob Morris Education Building on the History Center Campus in downtown LaGrange. Altars must be no larger than a 4x4 card table, and you must provide your own table. Any candles used must be flameless. Perishable foods are not permitted to be displayed on altars. For inspiration, typical ofrenda displays include Marigold flowers, sugar skull imagery, La Catrina imagery, Monarch butterflies, and most importantly – photos of loved ones who have passed.
To coordinate participation and setup, please email [email protected] or call 502-222-0826.
Day of the Dead Community Parade at 4:00pm:
The parade will begin at the Oldham County History Center campus in downtown LaGrange, at the corner of Main Street and Second Avenue. The parade route will go west down Main Street, turn right onto 5th Avenue, right onto West Jefferson Street, right onto South Walnut Avenue, right onto Main Street and back to the History Center campus.
Everyone is welcome to participate and walk in the parade. Respectful Day-of-the-Dead cultural dress and props are encouraged but not required. Vehicles, horses, and bikes are not permitted. Strollers are permitted. Registration is not required to walk in the parade.
Day of the Dead Catrina Contest at 6:30pm:
One of the most iconic symbols of Día de los Muertos is La Catrina, a tall, elegant skeleton figure wearing a long, elaborate dress and wide-brimmed hat. First popularized by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the early 1900s, La Catrina serves as a reminder that death is the great equalizer—regardless of status or wealth, everyone is a skeleton in the end. Over the years, La Catrina has become a beloved emblem of the holiday, blending beauty, artistry, and cultural tradition.
The Oldham County History Center’s Catrina Contest invites participants of all ages to embrace this tradition by dressing in creative costumes inspired by La Catrina. Contestants are judged on creativity, authenticity, craftsmanship, and presentation. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place in three age categories: Children (under 13), Teens (13–18), and Adults (19 and up).
Join us for this free, fun, family festival!
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
106 N 2nd Ave, La Grange, KY, United States, Kentucky 40031
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
