SAN FRANCISCO — The Mission District’s long-running Día de los Muertos ritual procession is set to return on Monday, Nov. 2, giving families and visitors a fixed date and starting point more than a week before the event.
Fresh 2026 reporting identifies this as the 45th annual procession, organized by the Comité de Rescate Cultural. Participants are expected to gather at 22nd and Bryant streets at 7 p.m. before the procession moves toward 24th Street and Mission Street.
When and where does the 2026 procession start?
The current 2026 information says the procession gathers at 22nd and Bryant at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. The event is free.
Organizers traditionally publish much of the event information through community and social channels rather than a single detailed official website. SF News Today will keep this page updated if a more detailed 2026 route, street-closure notice or Muni advisory is published.
What route will the procession take?
KQED’s current 2026 guide says the procession will move from Bryant and 22nd toward 24th Street in the direction of Mission Street. We are not publishing a turn-by-turn route yet because a current city traffic or transit advisory with the full 2026 route was not available when this guide was updated.
That distinction matters for anyone planning to drive or take Muni through the central Mission. If SFMTA posts temporary reroutes or stop closures closer to Nov. 2, those should be treated as the authoritative travel instructions for this year.
What is the procession?
The Mission procession is a community ritual honoring people who have died, with musicians, artists, culture keepers and Aztec dancers participating. This year’s theme is “Nuestros muertos no se venden” — “Our dead are not for sale.”
Thousands of families have lined Mission District streets for the procession in past years. Visitors should treat the gathering as a remembrance tradition rather than a costume parade and leave room for families and participants carrying photos, candles and memorial objects.
Is it the same as the Festival of Altars?
No. San Francisco’s Día de los Muertos observances can include separate community events and altar gatherings. This page is specifically about the Mission ritual procession organized by the Comité de Rescate Cultural. Details for other 2026 Día de los Muertos events should be checked with their own organizers.