This was the night the whole trip opened up into something bigger than I expected.

I started the evening in Zaachila, a small town just outside Oaxaca. Finding the guesthouse itself took extra time, but some friendly locals helped me find it. Once I arrived and checked-in with the landlord and his family next door, I couldn’t be happier, the guesthouse was a newly built cute small triangular hut with a spacious front yard for parking. A short rest felt so good before headed out to observe the preparation of the coming big days. The community cemetery sits behind walls painted in bright, artistic murals. Families were quietly at work inside — stringing marigolds along headstones, arranging candles and fresh flowers with real care. A gentle, grounding way to start the night.

Back in my guesthouse, was time to put on my second custom made costume and makeup. By early evening, I made my way into downtown Oaxaca, parked at Xochimilco Spanish styled neighborhood, and started walking toward the sound of drums already building in the distance. What began as a small neighborhood comparsa — giant mojiganga puppet figures swaying above the crowd, masked dancers, a brass band keeping everyone moving — slowly grew as I walked with everybody. We walked Héroes de Chapultepec then turned into alleys towards the center of the tourist district. With music and fireworks, we mixed with the scary costumes Halloween crowd into one bigger parade. I thought that was big until we reached the heart of the district and we merged into the Magna Comparsa, and then into the Fiesta Más Viva de Todas! I couldn't tell where one parade ended and the next began. The entire central district became one continuous wave of color and sound — fireworks overhead, food stalls on every corner, strangers pulling each other into dance circles in the street.

I cheered and danced non-stop with everybody until I spotted a symphony in front of a cathedral. What a nice contrast and allowed myself to rest a little bit. After street food, I wandered to around and joined a dance block party on the other side of the district, same high energy but a different vibe, this one was an open-air night club. Walking back toward my car near midnight, I passed a convenience store still doing brisk business in snacks and pan de muerto, and stopped in just because everyone else was getting their after party fixes or just hanging around.

If you want to feel what Día de los Muertos in Oaxaca is really about — joy, color, community — this is the night that shows you.