Downtown Corpus Christi Hosts 19th Día de los Muertos Festival Amid Weekend of Halloween Events

Downtown Corpus Christi will host the Día de los Muertos Street Festival on Saturday, anchoring a weekend of cultural celebrations and Halloween-themed gatherings across the Coastal Bend.

Now in its 19th year, the free festival will stretch across 10 downtown blocks and feature live music, art, food and cultural performances. It runs from 1 p.m. to midnight. A community ofrenda, or altar, will give families a place to honor loved ones who have died. The holiday centers on remembering those loved ones and celebrating the lives they lived.

Also on Saturday and Sunday, Villain Invasion Halloween Fest will take over the Holiday Inn Downtown Marina. Attendees can meet horror movie actors, enter costume contests and take part in gaming tournaments. Visitors who bring two nonperishable food items for the Coastal Bend Food Bank will receive a special-edition event poster while supplies last. Weekend passes start at $20, and children 12 and under get in free.

Saturday morning, the Monster Mash Cupcake Dash returns to Water's Edge Park. Participants can dress up for a 5K, a 10K or a 2-mile walk, and every finisher receives a cupcake. Proceeds benefit Family Counseling Services, which provides mental health care across the Coastal Bend.

Families looking for a quieter activity can head to Asbury Methodist Church, which will host family pumpkin painting from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. Families can pick out and buy a pumpkin and decorate it together. The church's pumpkin patch remains open through Halloween.

A new event also makes its debut Saturday. Hocus Pocus Corpus, held at the Hilliard Center from noon to 3 p.m., offers free Halloween activities including trick-or-treating, door prizes and a community resource fair. The event also includes a presentation on renters' rights.

Residents who want to suggest an event for the Coastal Bend Weekend listing can email Stephanie Molina at stephanie.molina@kristv.com.