Puerto Morelos has plenty of ways to put a costume to work this Halloween weekend. From a Friday-night party in La Colonia to beachfront music, costume contests and a free show in the town square on Saturday, the choices run from an early family outing to a late night out.

Here is where to celebrate on Friday, October 30, and Saturday, October 31, 2026. There is also an afternoon face-painting option if you want someone else to handle the finishing touches.

Halloween, Day of the Dead and Janal Pixán: Different Roots

Halloween: Celtic Roots in Ireland

Halloween has roots in Samhain, a Celtic festival celebrated in Ireland more than 2,000 years ago to mark the end of the harvest and the arrival of winter. Over the centuries, those customs mixed with Christian All Hallows’ Eve traditions, and Irish immigrants helped shape the American celebration during the 1800s. Today’s costumes, pumpkin carving and trick-or-treating developed along that path.

Day of the Dead: Aztec Roots and Catholic Traditions

Día de Muertos draws on traditions of honoring the dead practiced by the Aztecs and other cultures of ancient Mexico. After the Spanish arrived in the 1500s, those customs blended with Catholic All Saints’ and All Souls’ observances.

The celebration we recognize today took shape over centuries, beginning in the colonial period. Its focus is remembering departed loved ones with altars, offerings and their favorite foods.

Janal Pixán: The Maya Tradition of the Yucatán Peninsula

Janal Pixán is the Maya observance of this season, rooted in the Yucatán Peninsula’s ancestor traditions from before Spanish colonization in the 1500s.

Like Día de los Muertos elsewhere in Mexico, its present form developed through a blending of Maya practices and Catholic observances during the colonial period. Its name means “food for the souls,” and welcoming departed relatives with food and family altars remains at its heart.

Neither Mexican tradition began as Halloween, and Janal Pixán is not “Maya Halloween.” Their dates overlap partly because of the Catholic calendar, but the costume parties in this guide are separate from the family remembrance and cultural observances of Janal Pixán.

Friday, October 30: Fonda Americana Grill

Fonda Americana Grill gets the weekend started at 8 p.m., with the party listed through 2 a.m. The restaurant is on Avenida Joaquín Zetina Gasca at the corner of Trasatlántico, in La Colonia.

Expect DJs, costumes and prizes for the best outfits. The $100 MXN cover includes a welcome shot, and the advertised women’s 2-for-1 offer adds another reason to make a night of it.

Fonda Americana Grill party details.

Saturday Afternoon: Face Painting at La Sirena

If your costume needs a little professional help, Leidy Castillo will be offering detailed Halloween face painting at La Sirena from 2 p.m. on October 31. Prices start at $200 MXN, and no appointment is needed.

La Sirena is on Calle José María Morelos in El Puerto. This is an afternoon service, separate from the venue’s Halloween party later that evening.

Face painting details.

Saturday, October 31: Halloween Festival at Parque Fundadores

For a family outing, the Puerto Morelos Halloween Festival starts at 6 p.m. in Parque Fundadores, the main square on the beach side of town. Admission is free.

The evening includes a costume contest and a Halloween show. Bring the family in costume and make this your early-evening stop before deciding whether to continue elsewhere.

Parque Fundadores festival details.

Saturday, October 31: Changora Drums at My Paradise Beach Club

My Paradise Beach Club hosts a beachfront Halloween party from 6 p.m. to midnight. The lineup includes live act Changora Drums, an indie tech house DJ set from RMNSTR and a deep house set from Chinok.

There is a costume contest, with an after-party at Los Molcajetes. Tickets are $180 MXN in presale or $200 MXN on the day, with event access and complimentary drinks at My Paradise and Los Molcajetes included as advertised.

My Paradise party details.

Saturday, October 31: Halloween at La Sirena

La Sirena’s Halloween party begins at 8 p.m., with free admission. The evening features a live DJ, tarot readings, face painting and drink specials.

There is also a costume contest, with a grand prize of two Tequila University tickets. Come dressed to compete, or simply settle in for the music and watch the costumes go by.

La Sirena Halloween party details.

Saturday, October 31: Halloween en El Refugio

El Refugio’s party starts at 8 p.m. on Avenida Rafael Melgar, with free admission listed. A DJ, cocktails and a costume contest with prizes are part of the evening.

The venue’s “In Tacos We Trust” motto sets the tone for a casual Halloween night out. Wear your best costume if you want a shot at the prizes.

El Refugio party details.

Saturday, October 31: Spooky Sea at Salón Mar

Raíces Marinas and Casa Cervecera Manglares present the second edition of Spooky Sea, a costume party for a cause running from 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The flyer names the venue as Salón Mar, on Calle 58 between Calle 45 and Chaca.

The contribution is $150 MXN at the door, with $120 MXN presale available through Thursday, October 29. Manglares is one of the presenters; use the venue name and address on the flyer when planning your trip.

Make a Weekend of It

You can start with Fonda Americana on Friday, get your face painted Saturday afternoon, and choose between the town-square show and the evening parties. Halloween is on Saturday this year, so there is room to enjoy more than one stop without trying to squeeze everything into a single night.

For the Janal Pixán cultural celebrations on November 1 and 2, see our separate Mar de Almas schedule and our guide to the traditions behind the season. Those explain the boat procession, cultural performances and the meaning of the family altars.