Central de Abastos market tour: Build a Day of the Dead offering

Shop the market, then build an altar with your own hands

This activity in Oaxaca combines a guided tour of the Central de Abastos market during Day of the Dead season with hands-on creation of a traditional offering. You walk through the bustling market to see the flowers, foods and materials used in the celebration, then participate in decorating an altar with papel picado, chocolate and bright blooms. The experience connects you directly to how Oaxacans prepare for and honor this significant holiday.

The experience

The Central de Abastos is where Oaxaca sources everything for Day of the Dead: the marigolds, the chocolate, the bread, the fruits. Walking through it during the season means seeing the market at its fullest, with vendors stocking the exact materials families will use to build their ofrendas. The guide explains what each element means and why it matters to the celebration, so the colors and smells make sense as you move through the stalls.

After the market tour, you move to creating an offering yourself. This is not watching someone else work. You're arranging the flowers, placing the papel picado, setting out the chocolate and other items that go into a real ofrenda. The guide walks you through the traditional layout and the symbolism of each piece, so you understand what you're building and why families do this year after year. If you want to send a photo in advance, it can be included in the offering as part of the tribute.

The whole experience runs about three and a half hours. Snacks are included. Public transportation options are nearby if you need them, and the activity suits all fitness levels.

What’s included

• Snacks are provided.
• a live guide in English or Spanish leads the experience.

Options for this experience

2 options

Assemble a Day of the Dead offering and go shopping at the market.Guide in English or Spanish · No fixed time

Day of the Dead 2024Guide in English or Spanish · 09:30 and 14:00Day of the Dead Day of the Dead

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDepartures at 09:30 and 14:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (6 to 70 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Etnofood Experiencias

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to move beyond watching Day of the Dead preparations and actually participate in building an ofrenda: the market tour shows you where the materials come from, and then you work with your hands to create the offering itself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What exactly is the Central de Abastos market in Oaxaca?

The Central de Abastos is Oaxaca's main public market, a sprawling indoor and outdoor space where vendors sell produce, flowers, spices, chocolate, bread and everything else the city needs. During Day of the Dead season, it fills with the specific flowers, foods and materials families buy to build their ofrendas.

Do I actually make the offering, or do I just watch?

You participate in creating the offering yourself. You arrange the flowers, place the papel picado, set out the chocolate and other traditional elements under the guide's direction, learning the meaning and placement of each piece as you work.

Can I include a photo of someone I want to honor in the offering?

Yes. If you send a photo in advance to the operator, it can be included in the offering as part of the tribute to that person.