For its annual Día de los Muertos installation, the San Antonio Botanical Garden is going all in on fall color and cultural tradition.
The garden’s sprawling “Jardín de las Catrinas,” which opened Sept. 15 and will run through Monday, Nov. 2, invites visitors to wander among eight monumental statues of La Catrina surrounded by more than 10,000 marigolds and hundreds of living plants.
La Catrina is an elegantly attired woman’s skeleton that frequently appears in Día de los Muertos imagery.
The fee to experience the installation is included with admission and membership. San Antonio Botanical is extending its daily hours to 8:30 p.m. on weekends and 6 p.m. during the life of the exhibition.
The garden tapped San Antonio artist Regina Moya to create eight Catrina statues inspired by “refranes,” or traditional Spanish sayings that share everyday wisdom. Her creations, some standing up to 16 feet tall, incorporate living plants and cultural imagery to tell stories of Mexican heritage and Día de los Muertos traditions.
The San Antonio Botanical Garden’s annual Día de los Muertos programming began in 2023. The Garden planted 10,000 marigolds alongside themed community altars and live cultural performances.
Last year was the garden’s first year working with Moya, along with local botanical artist Layni Langham, to create “Nana Echeri,” a living Catrina with a skirt filled with hundreds of living plants. Following the success of “Nana Echeri,” the garden scaled up the original Catrina project this year.
The garden also will host weekly drop-in guided tours in addition to culinary classes, community workshops and performances to help visitors learn more about Día de los Muertos traditions in San Antonio.
Free with general admission, Sept. 15-Nov. 2, San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, San Antonio, (210) 536-1400, sabgtx.org.
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