The First-Ever Festival de la Catrina
Troncones, Majahua and Saladita come together to celebrate Halloween and Day of the Dead—part of a cooperative effort to attract off-season visitors
There have always been local events to mark Day of the Dead here. Most have typically been traditional, focused on decorating altars dedicated to people who have passed on and honoring their memory. These celebrations have been mostly personal and community-oriented, especially when friends and family members meet at the cemetery. Recently though, Halloween trick-or-treating and surfers dressing up as Catrinas have started new traditions to celebrate the spirit of the season. This year, there’s a new way to celebrate along our coast, a festival that includes every tradition and every village. Day of the Dead. What to do? Where to go? How can we get involved? Those are questions that come up every year around this time, but now there’s a new local hospitality coalition that’s created three festivals to meet one shared need.
.avif)
.avif)
%20(Spanish)-2.avif)
Day of the Dead. What todo? Where to go? How can we get involved? Those are questions that come up every year around this time, but now there’s a new local hospitality coalition that’s created three festivals to meet one shared need.
A COALITION TO CELEBRATE AS A COMMUNITY
This year, Troncones, La Majahua, and La Saladita will each host their own activities for Halloween and Day of the Dead. Each community will have its own Catrinas, altars and ways of celebrating. For the first time, residents, hoteliers, restaurateurs, and small business owners from all three communities are working together on a shared initiative. The coalition is not meant to erase each town’s identity or turn the celebrations into a single festival. Its aim is to give each community a chance to showcase what makes it distinctive while working together to strengthen local traditions and attract visitors during the low season.
The initiative also responds to a community need: keeping local customs alive and sharing them with visitors to the region. For the organizers, remembering their ancestors, the ejidatarios—members of the local communal landholding communities—and the people who founded these towns is part of celebrating each community’s history and identity.
IN TRONCONES
Jean Pascal Bochet Hublot, Mi Jardín
Local organizer
The festival will take place at the Troncones sign. There will be a monumental Catrina, music, and altars. Traditional food will also be available at very affordable prices. This is not a food fair. Instead, local cenadurías—small eateries that serve evening meals—will prepare dishes to sell at lower prices.
The idea of reviving our traditions began four or five years ago. As more people have moved to the village, it has also become important to create traditions that bring the community together.
This project is a joint effort by Troncones, La Majahua and La Saladita. The communities are not working separately. We know that together, we can put on a great event. Hoteliers, restaurant owners, business owners and other community members are working toward the same goal: creating a tradition and helping boost tourism during the low season.
Many people are contributing to the festival. The international community, in particular, has provided valuable support. We also have the backing of Francisco Manzanarez Maldonado, Troncones’ local comisario, who has been very proactive and supportive of the initiative.
The purpose of the festival is to revive our traditions: visiting the graves of our loved ones, preparing altars for them, and spending time with family—all with the warm hospitality that Troncones is known for.
DATES & TIMES FOR TRONCONES
October 31, 2026
6 PM: Official opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting at the Troncones letters on the beach.
8 PM: Children’s parade concludes, followed by a community gathering at the letters.
November 2, 2026
6 PM: Community gathering with traditional food and music at the letters.
8 PM: Procession from the letters to the village cemetery.
10 PM: Festival closes at the Troncones cemetery.
IN LA MAJAHUA
Yamel Maya, Antonio’s Bar & Grill
Local organizer
This is the first of many festivals we hope to hold. In 2025, the Guerrero state government recognized the municipality of La Unión as a Consolidated Tourist Destination, citing the tourism development of Troncones, Majahua and La Saladita.
Hoteliers, restaurateurs, small shops, fondas—small, informal eateries—and other local residents are taking part in our community. Each will contribute their efforts and share their dishes with visitors.
The event will take place at the La Majahua letters landmark. From there, we will begin a route to go door to door asking for calaverita—the Mexican Day of the Dead tradition of asking for treats—along the road from La Majahua to Troncones. There will also be traditional food, a three-meter-tall monumental Catrina, music, opportunities to gather, and a small costume contest for children.
Getting everyone in the community involved has been a challenge. However, thanks to good communication and collaboration from comisario Daniel Nuñez, most people have joined the project. Together with Troncones and La Saladita, we have made progress toward fulfilling the comprehensive tourism plan.
DATES & TIMES FOR LA MAJAHUA
October 31, 2026
5 PM: Official opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting at the landmark letters.
5:30 PM: Children’s parade to ask for treats, heading toward Troncones.
November 1, 2026
6 PM: Community gathering with traditional food, music, and a family-friendly atmosphere at the landmark letters.
IN LA SALADITA
Patricia Fernández Suárez, Marejada Surf Spot
Local organizer
La Saladita will join the celebration with activities that reflect the community’s identity and its close connection to the sea. The program will begin on October 31 with an opening ceremony at Jacqueline restaurant, followed by a children’s parade and a trick-or-treating walk.
On November 2, the waves will provide the setting for one of the festival’s most distinctive events: a parade of surfing Catrinas, bringing together the spirit of Day of the Dead and the local surf culture. The day will conclude in the afternoon at the restaurant’s outdoor plaza, with food prepared by local residents, music, and a chance for the community to gather.
The idea of organizing this festival came about through a collaboration with the members of Troncones and Majahua. We wanted to create an event that would boost tourism in the area and allow the three micro-destinations to take part together, with activities happening simultaneously on their respective beaches.
This tradition is very important to me. I’m Mexican, and I come from the state of Michoacán, where Día de Muertos is deeply rooted in the culture. Every year, it’s celebrated with joy and respect for those who have passed away. At some point in our lives, we have all paid tribute to loved ones who are no longer with us.
The main activities will include altars, which are an essential part of the celebration because they allow us to honor those who have passed away. In addition, each beach will feature a giant Catrina figure representing the destination and joining in the festivities. It will be a lovely place to take photos and pay tribute to our ancestors. There will also be a parade where children can dress up and go trick-or-treating, as well as gatherings featuring traditional food, music, and a welcoming atmosphere.
The local identity is reflected in the care and affection with which people in the area remember their loved ones. As Mexicans, we consider this a very special occasion to honor and remember them—not with sadness, but with the hope that their spirits may come to visit us.
The participation of local businesses and residents is very important. The festival is the result of a shared effort to decorate the spaces, bring people together, and enjoy time as a community. With the right promotion, the festival can help more people discover this destination and consider it a place to celebrate Mexican traditions. It also offers a special advantage: the chance to experience the celebration by the sea.
One of the biggest challenges has been learning to work together without losing the identity of each place. The goal is to work toward a shared benefit while respecting each beach’s unique character in every decision we make.
We hope the community and visitors will embrace the festival, enjoy it, and leave with a wonderful experience.We want the festival to benefit the entire community and serve as a way to promote tourism. Our goal is for the Riviera to be an appealing destination at this time of year for people from nearby areas, such as Michoacán and the Bajío region, and for more people to consider visiting.
I hope everyone who attends has a wonderful visit, feels welcome, and takes home happy memories and great photos. I also hope they appreciate the beauty of all three beaches—not only the scenery and the ocean, but also the people, local businesses, and the community as a whole. We want visitors to enjoy safe places where families can spend time together, and to share their experience when they return home so that even more people will want to visit us.
DATES & TIMES FOR LA SALADITA
October 31, 2026
4 PM: Official opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting at Jacqueline Restaurant.
5:30 PM: Children’s parade and trick-or-treating walk.
November 2, 2026
8 AM: Surfing Catrinas parade—an exhibition of Catrinas riding the waves.
5 PM: Festival closing celebration with local food, music, and a festive atmosphere at the plaza outside Jacqueline Restaurant.
LINK
Riviera Troncones-Majahua-Saladita Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RivieraTronconesMajahuaSaladita
%2013.13.24.avif)
