In the district of Flatiron, Manhattan, the celebrations for the Día de Muertos also return this year, but with a larger calendar and a widespread programming throughout the district. From October 10 to November 3, 2025, the Flatiron NoMad Partnership organizes a series of free initiatives to celebrate the traditional Mexican festival dedicated to the memory of the dead, involving local artists and public spaces of the neighborhood.
The Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a pre-hyspanic occurrence that takes place every year between 31 October and 2 November. According to tradition, in these days the souls of the dead return to visit their loved ones, who welcome them with decorated altars and offerings of food, drinks and flowers, in particular the calendules. The festival, today also recognized by UNESCO as an immaterial heritage of humanity, has become one of the most representative cultural expressions of Mexico.
The Flatiron event is one of the main initiatives dedicated to this tradition in the city and the main installations are set up in two symbolic points of the district: Flatiron North Plaza, between 23rd Street and Broadway, and Flatiron South Plaza, between 23rd Street, Fifth Avenue and Broadway. Photographic exhibitions, temporary works of art and participatory activities are concentrated in these spaces.
Among the planned installations is Noche de Ánimas, an outdoor photo exhibition dedicated to the rituals of the river Pátzcuaro, in the state of Michoacán, where are held some of the oldest and most famous celebrations of the Día de Muertos. This is accompanied by an installation by the artist Blanka Amezkua, who decorated the area of the Flatiron Building with ribbons, sugar skulls and maize pula, reinterpreting the symbols of the festival in an urban way.
Since October 16, the South Plaza also houses an installation by Papel Picado, the traditional Mexican folk art that uses carved paper sheets to create suspicious ornamental motifs, created by artist Tanya Aguiñiga. The initiative will culminate between 31 October and 3 November with a Community altar designed by Mano to Mano: Mexican Culture Without Borders, dedicated to anyone who wants to pay tribute to their dead.
In addition to physical installations, the organization has provided digital activities and themed promotions. Among these, an interactive treasure hunt on the Instagram profile of Flatiron and special offers from restaurants and Hispanic commercial activities of the neighborhood, such as Mamazul and Casa Carmen.
All initiatives of the program are free and open to the public. Visitors can see the map of the places involved and the full calendar of activities on the official website of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership.
Article The Flatiron neighborhood is filled with flowers and sugar skulls for the Día de Muertos comes from IlNewyorkese.
