Pretty and poignant, New Orleans’ Day of the Dead Parade has a new route in 2022

As anyone who’s ever attended the annual Mexican Day of the Dead cemetery procession in the St. Roch neighborhood can tell you, it’s one of the most beautiful, magical parades in a town known for beautiful, magical parades.

The Día de Muertos is an opportunity to celebrate the lives of those who have died, particularly those who have passed away in the preceding year. And everyone is invited to join in the macabre yet joyous tradition.

On Nov. 2, an eerily costumed, candle-lit crowd will march as usual through the downtown streets headed for the St. Roch Cemetery #1. The 2022 Día de Muertos parade, however, is expected to be bigger than ever and will take a different route than in years past.

Founder Roberto Carrillo speaks into a bull horn before the candle-lit Day of the Dead procession to St. Roch Cemetery in New Orleans, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. Crowds followed a rolling altar and marching crews SkinzNBonez and Krewe de Mayahuel through the St. Roch neighborhood to St. Roch Cemetery. In front of the cemetery, the general public was invited to place photos, candles and objects on the altar to honor deceased loved ones. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)

STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER

Robert Carrillo, a co-founder of the Krewe de Mayahuel, a Carnival-style parading club meant to blend Mexican and Crescent City culture, said that five years ago the krewe’s Day of the Dead procession was little more than a pub crawl attended by a handful of marchers. Last year, though, there may have been 3,000 celebrants. “I’m afraid of how many people we’ll have” in 2022, he said.

The Krewe de Mayahuel has taken up residence in Beanlandia, an enormous warehouse space at 3300 Royal St. in the Bywater, recently purchased by the Krewe of Red Beans marching group. The Day of the Dead cemetery procession will begin there at 7 p.m.

The parade will travel on Royal Street to Franklin Avenue, where it will turn right, then follow Franklin to St. Claude Avenue and turn left. At St. Roch Avenue, the parade will turn right, stopping at the gates of the St. Roch Cemetery #1, 1725 St. Roch Ave., where remembrances will be read, and songs sung.

Before the parade, the Krewe de Mayahuel will present a mini festival starting at 4 p.m. at Mickey Markey Park, across the street from Beanlandia. Anyone who makes a donation to the krewe, of any amount, will be allowed to preview the small parade floats and costumes displayed inside Beanlandia.

Krewe de Mayahuel’s La Catrina puppet dances before the candle-lit Day of the Dead procession to St. Roch Cemetery in New Orleans, Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021. Crowds followed a rolling altar and marching crews SkinzNBonez and Krewe de Mayahuel through the St. Roch neighborhood to St. Roch Cemetery. In front of the cemetery, the general public was invited to place photos, candles and objects on the altar to honor deceased loved ones. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)

STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER

Carrillo said the krewe’s giant puppet “Catrina” has been spruced up for the procession, which also may include members of the energetic Lucha Krewe (devoted to Mexican pro wrestling), plus members of the krewedelusion and Krewe of Red Beans Carnival clubs.

The parade theme is the monarch butterfly, which Carrillo said symbolizes “free and natural” migration. Marchers may want to incorporate the monarch into their costumes, he said.

Day of the Dead cemetery procession

What: The Krewe de Mayahuel’s parade that blends Mexican and New Orleans traditions as it venerates the spirits of the deceased.

Where: The parade begins at 7 p.m. at 3300 Royal St. It travels Royal Street to Franklin Avenue, turns right to St. Claude Avenue, left to St. Roch Avenue, stopping at the St. Roch Cemetery #1, 1725 St. Roch Ave.

Also: A mini festival starts at 4 p.m. in Mickey Markey Park, 3301 Royal St., culminating in the parade at 7 p.m.

On Friday Nov. 2, 2018, a candle-lit procession strolled from the Siberia Lounge on St. Claude Avenue to the St. Roch Cemetery. Presented by the Krewe de Mayahuel, the event combined Mexican and New Orleans venerations of the dead.

(Video by Doug MacCash, NOLA.com The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)