Of the many events and celebrations Denison holds throughout the year, the Día de los Muertos celebration is probably one of the most well known. Each year, Denison Arts Council works closely with Denison Main Street and Discover Denison, when they sponsor, to present one of the region’s first and largest Día de los Muertos festivals, drawing thousands of local residents and out of town visitors for this incredible cultural celebration.
The Denison Arts Council has been instrumental in making sure the festival is more than just a party. The organization provides valuable education about the holiday and its culture while striving to create a welcoming space for everyone who attends the festival and visits Downtown Denison. At the festival, you will find live performances by musicians and dancers, vendor booths offering original art and Día de los Muertos and cultural merchandise, and the famous Día de los Muertos parade.
You might think a holiday that remembers the departed would be somber and quiet, but Día de los Muertos, translated as Day of the Dead, is quite the opposite. Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday that is colorful and full of joy, celebrating the lives of friends and family members who have passed away. It is an ancient holiday that can be traced back thousands of years to the time of the Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecs and Nahua civilizations.
The people of these cultures believed that death was not the end, but that life continued in an endless cycle and the departed would continue to exist in the afterlife. To remember past friends and family members, a day was set aside so ancestors could return to our world and visit us. The celebration welcomes back the souls of relatives for a short reunion, when the border between the spirit world and our living world dissolves. During this time, the souls return to enjoy food, drinks, music, dance and colorful decorations with their living loved ones.
Anyone attending the festival will notice familiar cultural elements such as bright orange marigolds, Calaveras, or friendly skulls, giant puppets known as mojigangas, ofrendas, monarch butterflies and Pan de Muerto, or Bread of the Dead. The holiday is traditionally celebrated on November first and second.
Originally started in 2012, Denison was looking for an event that would draw visitors into the city to shop and explore Downtown. A few local artists stepped up to offer their assistance in organizing the festival and helping get it started. Steve Black, an art professor at Grayson College at the time, offered to assist and recruited his art students to get involved and create giant puppets to walk in the parade.
Steve Black passed away on July 16, 2026, but his legacy remains, and his life continues to be celebrated. Judy Black, Steve’s wife and fellow artist, remembers when Steve first became involved.
“Originally we met at the University of North Texas in the art department. Art was always such a big part of our lives. But Steve was so passionate about this. He was so excited about getting his students and the community involved. There was so much passion in what he did and I think that really drew people in. It was kind of contagious. He loved being involved and has whole idea books for the Day of the Dead. Once it caught on and people started participating, they could see what it was about. He enjoyed leading the workshops and getting people and the community excited to be a part of it. It was so rewarding. When we started seeing our Hispanic neighbors and families attend and get involved, well, that was so rewarding to us. Seeing the little children dance with the puppets and celebrate in the park was glorious and it meant so much to me and Steve. I know he is proud of the legacy he started here.”
This year’s Quinceañera Día de los Muertos Festival will take place Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Heritage Park in Downtown Denison.
For more information, visit the Denison Arts Council at www.denisonartscouncil.org or call 903 744 8300.