When the people of San Antonino Castillo Velasco celebrate, they do as you
might expect; they decorate the tombs with tapetes of flowers:  paintings created
entirely of whole flowers, flower petals, and flower buds.  
Families will work for most of the afternoon breaking down marigold flowers to
separate the petals.  They will use the buds and petals to create masterful
designs and colorful rug-like paintings using flowers.  
On the first and second of
November in Oaxaca the
all-night vigil at the graves and
tombs is a candle-lit spectacle
not to be missed. San
Antonino's comes a week or
so later but is no less
spectacular. More so perhaps
when you see that all the
paintings are done with
flowers.
Day Of The Dead
San Antonino
Castillo Velasco
Flowers
Oaxaca, Mexico
In San Antonino Castillo Velasco  
the spirits of the departed  
returning to the graves for the
October  31 start of the festival of
Dia de Muertos must wait until the
commerce in cemetery flowers is
completed before they can join
the festival.
Tons of flowers decorate the graveyards when the people of Oaxaca hold a
cemetery vigil by candlelight at the tombs.
The families of Oaxaca use Marigold flowers  to turn the graves and home altars
into works of art.  The farmers of San Antonino Castillo Velasco grow many of the
Marigolds and cockscomb that Oaxaca's hotels, shops, and homes  use to
decorate.   More marigolds come to the cemeteries during the night of October 31.
The people use marigolds  to build the tradition altars and lay a trail of marigold
petals to entice the spirits to return.
Day of the Dead  TAPESTRIES OF FLOWERS
Although the Day Of The Dead ceremony is steeped in ritual and history, not all villages celebrate the  
festival on the same day.  In San Antonino Castillo Velasco the spirits of the departed  returning to the
graves for the October festival of Dia de Muertos must wait until the commerce in cemetery flowers is
completed before they can join the festival.  Most of the farmers of San Antonino Castillo Velasco are
engaged in growing and selling flowers during the last week of October.
I f you visit the valley of Oaxaca during the Day of the Dead, you will see tons of  marigold flowers and the
brilliant red cockscomb that decorate the home altars and the tombs in  the villages.
In San Antonino Castillo Velasco the families prepare for this three-day annual
festival of honoring the spirits at graveside a week or so after every other village
holds their celebration.  The people must celebrate a few days later than all the rest
because most everyone in town is engaged in growing the flowers to supply all the
other villages for the decorating of the tombs during the Day of the Dead festival.
Where is Oaxaca
and how do you
get there:
Oaxaca Hotels      
Oaxaca Hotels      
Oaxaca Day of the Dead Schedule of Cemetery Visits
October, 31
Xoxocotlan. This town a few miles southwest of Oaxaca City  has two Cemeteries, Cemetario Viejo, and
the new cemetery Nuevo.
October 31, the village of Atzompa holds a later cemetery vigil starting around 11 pm.

Day of the Dead November 1
San Felipe del Agua, north of Oaxaca City,
Oaxaca City Cemetery, Panteon General on the east side of the city
Tlaixtac de Cabrera, six miles south east of Oaxaca City
Vllage of San Antonino Castillo Velasco  A flower growing village that celebrates a week after the others