Downtown Riverside came alive last weekend as Market Street transformed into a vibrant corridor of sound, color, and remembrance for the city’s annual Day of the Dead Festival. Spanning multiple blocks between University Avenue and 11th Street, the two-day event honored the centuries-old Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos with live performances, traditional dance, street food, art, and even lucha libre wrestling.

The festival featured three main stages, Marigold, Aztec, and Franklin, each offering a full lineup of music, folklórico dance, and community performances that reflected the spirit of cultural pride and celebration.

On Saturday, the Marigold Stage hosted performances from Amor de Folklore, Conjunto Meraki, and Cherry Bomb Revival, closing the night with La Gran Sonora de Colombia after a lively Catrina Contest that drew an enthusiastic crowd. Sunday’s lineup brought a mix of local acts like Pachuco Jose, POCHO, and Red Store Bum’s, along with DJ sets that kept the energy high throughout the afternoon.

The Aztec Stage, located near 10th Street, showcased a sweeping display of traditional dance groups from across the region. Performers such as Ballet Folklorico Tierra De Mi Padre, BFDR Aztec, and Grupo Folklorico Mi Esperanza filled the stage with rhythmic footwork, colorful dresses, and the unmistakable sounds of live mariachi and regional music. Sunday’s schedule continued that energy with youth and community dance groups including Mar De Oro, Flores Azules, and Lucero Folklorico.

Over on the Franklin Stage near City Hall, audiences experienced a blend of modern and traditional artistry. Saturday featured the spoken word collective Xpired, Aztec-inspired rock from Axolotl, and performances by Ballet Folklorico Sol y Luna. On Sunday, Lunada Sounds took over with an eclectic afternoon of DJ sets and folklórico showcases from Ballet Folklorico Algarabía Mexicana and Sol y Luna.

Beyond the stages, the streets overflowed with community energy. Local vendors sold handcrafted jewelry, sugar skull art, candles, and traditional attire, while food stalls filled the air with the aromas of tamales, elotes, tacos, and birria. Families gathered to visit altars honoring departed loved ones, their ofrendas glowing with marigolds and candlelight as children painted faces and chased bubbles nearby.

In true festival spirit, a full-size lucha libre ring set up along the main thoroughfare drew roaring crowds for rotating wrestling matches throughout both days. The wrestlers’ colorful masks and theatrical flair fit perfectly with the celebration’s mix of the sacred and the playful.

Riverside’s Day of the Dead Festival remains one of the Inland Empire’s most beloved cultural events, a living reminder that remembrance doesn’t have to be solemn. Here, it’s a dance, a meal, a song, and a community coming together to honor life through the joyful memory of those who came before.