Collapse prompts safety restrictions
The tourist restriction covers Sunday, November 1, and Monday, November 2, the principal dates of the island's Night of the Dead observances. El País and CDMX Secreta describe it as the first such closure to general tourism during the festivities, with reports calling the measure unprecedented in the community's recent history.
A slope collapse of more than 15 meters on August 28 damaged the cemetery. Miguel Ángel Reyes Cortés, president of Janitzio's community council, told Vanguardia that tombs, crosses and part of the perimeter wall were affected. He said Civil Protection recommended limiting access to reduce risks during one of the busiest visitor seasons.
According to Infobae México, the repair work includes stabilizing the ground, strengthening the perimeter fence and constructing a walkway and viewing terrace. The cemetery is expected to reopen in 2027.
Infobae reports that the closure is being coordinated with Fonatur and federal and Michoacán tourism offices. Repair costs have not been disclosed.
What visitors can see on Janitzio
The panoramic walkway offers a place to watch and photograph the ceremonies without entering the cemetery, traditionally the center of the island's observances. Access to the walkway is controlled. Whether additional restrictions will apply elsewhere on Janitzio during the peak ceremonies remains unclear.
The island also has events planned outside the cemetery. El País reports that these include a monumental altar on the boardwalks, a traditional fishing demonstration using boats and butterfly nets, a community offering at the basketball court, and an artistic festival on the esplanade of the José María Morelos Monument.
Infobae reports that the area expects more than 1 million visitors during Day of the Dead week.
A vigil with a history beyond tourism
El País reports that Janitzio's Day of the Dead commemoration has held UNESCO recognition as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2008.
The night vigil, or velación, was once a private community observance. According to UNAM research cited by El País, before the 1930s the cemetery excluded outsiders and was reserved exclusively for women.
The research attributes the subsequent growth in mass visitation to tourism-promotion policies under Lázaro Cárdenas and the influence of films such as Maclovia (1948), which helped turn the vigil into a public spectacle.
More than 700 events across Michoacán
Michoacán's Tourism Secretariat organized more than 700 cultural and artistic events for October 23 through November 2, 2026, spanning the state's seven tourism regions. El País and Vanguardia report that authorities expect more than 1 million visitors statewide during the season.
For the sixth consecutive year, the state government provided funding through the Tourism Secretariat to municipalities and self-governing communities. La Voz de Michoacán reports that 17 recipients received a combined 4 million pesos to support more than 700 events, including street and cemetery decorations and cultural workshops.
Elsewhere in the state, the program includes Capula's National Artisanal and Cultural Catrina Fair, the Catrinas and Catrines parade in Morelia's historic center on November 1, and Uruapan's Festival of Candles. Visitors can also take the "Camino de las Ánimas" nighttime canoe route through the Urandén springs, according to El País and Vanguardia.
Mexico City's scheduled celebrations
Mexico City's main Day of the Dead parade is scheduled to leave the Diana Cazadora monument for the Zócalo at 2:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, October 31. Plans call for more than 4,000 participants.
Officials have announced a 32-meter Catrina figure for the Zócalo alongside a program of free activities. A free nighttime bicycle ride is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. local time.
