Festival of the Skeletons

Bradenton’s Village of the Arts transforms its residential streets into a Día de los Muertos celebration for this annual neighborhood-wide event. Dozens of the area’s live-work art studios and galleries open their doors, displaying community-built altars and towering papier-mâché skeletons in their front yards. The event honors the Mexican tradition of remembering the deceased through art, featuring thematic exhibitions by local painters and sculptors alongside street performances by mariachi bands. Independent restaurants and bakeries within the district serve regional Latin American specialties, while participating artists sell sugar skull-themed ceramics, jewelry, and prints directly from their converted bungalows.