Los Muertos Bailan returns Saturday, Oct. 24, as Edinburg unveils state Arts District designation

Los Muertos Bailan returns to Promenade Park Amphitheater on Saturday, October 24 for its 12th year, and this time the free Día de los Muertos festival has a second job: the Texas Commission on the Arts will formally present Edinburg with its new state Arts District designation during the festival itself. "This designation is a proud moment for our city and a testament to the incredible creativity and rich history that define Edinburg," said Magdiel Castle, Edinburg Cultural Arts Assistant Director.

Getting on stage

The Cultural Arts Department is asking local performers, schools, dance studios, and cultural groups — mariachi ensembles, folklórico groups, dance teams, and other performing arts groups — to fill Saturday performance slots scheduled from 6 to 10 p.m. Registration is open at edinburgarts.com/losmuertosbailan, and groups can request a spot in the traditional Día de los Muertos procession; the contact is the Edinburg Arts, Culture, and Events Center at 315 W. McIntyre St., (956) 388-8224.

Open call for artists

Visual artists have their own door, and it closes Thursday, October 15. The department's open call seeks muralists, chalk and street artists, painters, and sculptors for live activations, installations, and public art displays along the McIntyre Street promenade, honoring Día de los Muertos traditions, Mexican folklore, cultural storytelling, or family-friendly expression. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with notifications expected by October 16. The city has also invited local high school students to enter a chalk art competition during the October 24 celebration.

What the new lines hold

The Texas Commission on the Arts approved the Edinburg Arts District on September 3, 2026, one of four new state cultural districts approved alongside Brownsville's Mitte Cultural District, Galveston, and Lufkin, bringing Texas to 61. The district runs from Schunior Street on the north, Stubbs Street on the south, Sugar Road on the west, and 19th Street on the east — lines that hold places readers already pass: the Edinburg Arts, Culture & Events Center, the Museum of South Texas History, and portions of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

Letty Leija, Edinburg Library and Cultural Arts Director, said the designation "would establish us as a hub for arts and culture here in the city, but also have a great economic impact." Qualifying local arts organizations become eligible to compete for Cultural District Project grants from the Texas Commission on the Arts.

The one ticket

The one visible cost in the otherwise-free weekend arrives the night before. Los Muertos Bailan: Canta Y No Llores, a mariachi voice competition and showcase, runs Friday, October 23 at the Edinburg Arts, Culture & Event Center, with a $10 all-day spectator ticket sold at the door. The ticket covers semi-final rounds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the 7 p.m. finals and mariachi showcase. Contestant entry is $25, with registration open through Monday, October 19.

The Friday event gives student and community performers their own stage, open to performers in grades 3–8, grades 9–12, and an open community and post-high school category. Edinburg Cultural Arts and the South Texas Music & Cultural Arts Foundation present the showcase, with Mariachi Aztlán and invited mariachi guests performing alongside the winners.

Whether the designation amounts to more than a ceremony depends on who fills the stage and the walls. Local performers, students, and artists can claim those spots — and Leija said the designation shows "what happens when an entire city rallies around creativity, heritage, and civic pride."