San Antonio hosts the largest Day of the Dead celebration across the United States. Its La Villita Historic Arts Village is no exception. The area is decked out with the tallest catrin and catrina in the U.S., colorful creatures that illuminate at night, and the Calavera Collection, a group of 40 vibrant skulls that will certainly make you stop in your tracks to admire them.
The calavera is a traditional symbol of Day of the Dead (or Día de los Muertos in Spanish). It’s an ornate, decorated skull that represents a celebration of life and death, often placed on altars remembering loved ones who have passed on. Some calaveras are also edible, and sugar skulls are a delicious treat.
People would frown if you tried eating the ones in the Calavera Collection, and they also might damage your teeth. These are no handheld skulls; they’re all quite sizable! Alex Rubio curated the collection, the works of which consist entirely of San Antonio artists. There are over 40 in total, and since they’re scattered throughout La Villita, around Maverick Plaza, the River Walk, and the restaurants of Chef Johnny Hernandez, trying to find them all is a fun little scavenger hunt.
The Calavera Collection runs through Day of the Dead weekend and into mid-November, so there’s still time to see these colorful skulls. Here are a few of my favorites I captured:
Mail to the Afterlife by Rachel Kamata
Amor Y Luto by Vincente Apolinar
Wabi Sabi by Albert Gonzales
Memories en el desierto by Eva Calderon
Pepsi by Rubio
Modelo
Glimpse the tallest catrin and catrina in the background! And check out more from the Calavera Collection.
Planning a trip to San Antonio? Here are songs about Texas to get you in the mood.
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