All Souls Procession

The All Souls Procession represents one of North America's most significant, inclusive, and emotionally powerful public ceremonies celebrating death, remembrance, and the universal human need to mourn collectively. Inspired by Día de Muertos traditions but uniquely reimagined for a contemporary, multicultural audience, the All Souls Procession was created in 1990 by local artist Susan Johnson, who was grieving the loss of her father. Johnson's personal grief transformed into a ceremonial performance that invited her community to join in shared mourning — evolving over three decades into a gathering of over 150,000 participants who process through downtown Tucson on the evening closest to November 2nd (All Souls' Day).

Rather than a parade with passive spectators, the All Souls Procession explicitly invites everyone to become part of the event — to carry offerings, create altars, perform, or simply walk in remembrance. Participants create elaborate altars on the streets, decorate themselves and floats with skeleton imagery, flowers, lights, and personal mementos honoring the deceased. The procession culminates in a ceremony where "The Urn" — a symbolic vessel containing the hopes, memories, and offerings of thousands of participants — is ceremonially burned, releasing those intentions and honoring the universal cycle of life and death. This final act creates a profoundly emotional moment of collective acknowledgment.

What makes the All Souls Procession extraordinary is its inclusive spirituality and democratic approach to mourning. The event welcomes participants of all faiths and backgrounds — people mourning recent losses and those honoring long-departed ancestors; people creating elaborate artistic expressions and those quietly walking in remembrance. For Tucson, the procession has become a defining cultural institution that honors the city's deep Mexican and Catholic heritage while creating something new that speaks to universal human experiences of loss, memory, and community. Participating in the All Souls Procession is one of the most profound public gatherings in the American Southwest.