There’s a certain comfort in celebrating death at the San Francisco Symphony’s Día de los Muertos concert. Yes, death — not the scary, grim reaper kind, but the kind you can dance with, laugh at, and honor.
I never know how to grieve. I don’t cry or say the right things to loved ones, and maybe that’s why a celebration of life — loud, bright, and unapologetic — makes more sense to me. The Mission hosts a beautiful processional every year, but I heard this year’s festivities came with some tense vibes between neighborhood organizers. So it felt nice to attend a chill afternoon with SF Symphony — one with an explosion of marigolds, skulls, costumes, and dancing.
Parties like this are never just music. Family-friendly activities abound, including sugar skull decorating, tissue-flower making, and a Mariachi instrument “petting zoo” I did not see, but was told guests could explore and play traditional instruments.
There’s also an unmissable gaggle of costumed attendees in period attire and skull face paint. SF Symphony tends to be the most informal of arts events, so I love seeing the fashion at this one. Día de los Muertos and Lunar New Year are my two favorite parties because they do right by the word immersive. You don’t just find your seat for the concert, and even after you do — that part feels like story time activity hour, too.
Guest conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto led the symphony in harmonies that celebrated Latin American culture while dancers livened the stage. My favorite performances — of course — came from duets between trumpeter Pacho Flores and cuatro player Héctor Molina, whose interpretation of Paquito D’Rivera’s Concerto Venezolano brought the audience to life.
Alongside pieces like Carlos Chávez’s Sinfonía india and José Pablo Moncayo’s Huapango, the concert offered tribute to the traditions of Día de los Muertos, with Prieto’s leadership tying it all together. The performance concluded with a traditional audience waving long balloons while performers danced up and down the aisles — and then the party continued down the street.
The afterparty gave us a venue change down the street at the Green Room, where event chair Sharon Seto curated a fun band and mezcal tastings by Salvadores Mezcal. It was nice to spend a few minutes catching up with her and of course seeing society diehard Navid Armstrong — I’d like to find out how many dresses she has, and how she stores them all.
I loved all the flower crowns, but of course I needed to have all the flowers on me.
The San Francisco Symphony’s Día de los Muertos concert didn’t just deliver on music — it gave us a chance to celebrate tradition, connection, and a little bit of spectacle. From the colorful lobby festivities to the standout performances by Pacho Flores and Héctor Molina, to the afterparty, it was the perfect way to end a celebration that felt as unapologetically alive as it was meaningful. If death can look like this, I’ll toast to it every year.
Saul Sugarman is editor in chief of The Bold Italic.
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