Nashville Hosts First Día de Muertos at City Cemetery

Free family event at Nashville City Cemetery marked the holiday with face painting, storytelling and craft giveaways on Nov. 1.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Seasonal Events

Marigold offering table with lit candles and fluttering papel picado set among old stone walls and oak trees at a historic cemetery. — Nashville held its first Día de Muertos celebration at City Cemetery on Nov. 1, a free family event organized by Metro Council member Terry Vo. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Nashville held its first Día de Muertos event at Nashville City Cemetery on Nov. 1, beginning at 1 p.m. The free, community-focused gathering featured face painting for children, a family photo booth, storytelling, and book and craft supply giveaways.

Why it matters

The event reflects the cultural significance of Día de Muertos for Mexican and Latino residents in the U.S., according to organizer Terry Vo. It also adds a new public observance to Nashville's fall calendar alongside other local celebrations.

Around 300 people had attended by 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 1, roughly 90 minutes after the event began at 1 p.m. The source does not provide a final total or a comparison with attendance at other Día de Muertos events in the city.

The players

Terry Vo

Metro Council member for District 17 who organized the Nashville City Cemetery Día de Muertos event with the City Cemetery.

Sandra Sepulveda

Metro Council member for District 30 who helped plan the Nashville City Cemetery Día de Muertos event.

The details

Terry Vo, Metro Council member for District 17, organized the event in partnership with the City Cemetery, with help from District 30 council member Sandra Sepulveda and several nonprofit organizations. Jorge Zetina hosted a storytelling tent where he shared folklore and the history of the holiday, including Mayan traditions from the Yucatán Peninsula.

Oct. 31 and Nov. 1: Cheekwood Estate and Gardens hosted a two-day Día de Muertos celebration.
Nov. 1, 1 p.m.: The Nashville City Cemetery event began.
Nov. 1, 2:30 p.m.: About 300 people had attended.
Throughout the weekend: Multiple Nashville Ballet shows were held.

Seasonal Patterns

The Nashville City Cemetery event adds a municipal observance to the Día de Muertos calendar that runs alongside longer-established celebrations such as Cheekwood Estate and Gardens' two-day program. Together these events show the holiday becoming a recurring fall fixture in Nashville's cultural life.

The Nashville City Cemetery event was free and open to the community, with face painting, a photo booth, storytelling and craft giveaways available to families. Residents who missed the Nov. 1 event have no further dates in the source to plan around.

The takeaway

Free, family-oriented cultural events like this one give Nashville residents a low-cost way to learn about traditions such as Día de Muertos. Checking local council offices and cemetery announcements is a practical way to hear about similar events.