One of San Francisco’s most cherished traditions is blooming again. SOMArts Cultural Center proudly presents its 27th annual Día de Los Muertos exhibition, In Their Name: Día de Los Muertos 2026, on view from October 24 through November 20. Curated by Bridgètt Rex and Rio Yañez, this year’s edition celebrates mothering in all its beautiful forms — birth mothers, chosen families, house and drag mothers, communities and movements — as an act of care, love, and revolution.
Carrying forward the legacy of beloved artist and curator René Yañez, who founded the annual exhibition, In Their Name weaves together personal altars, contemporary artwork, and ancestral memory. It honors the Mexican roots of Día de Los Muertos while inviting visitors of every background to reflect on the people who shaped their lives, their values, and their sense of justice.
The celebration opens with a festive Opening Reception on Friday, October 23, from 6 to 9 PM, featuring live performances and a Día de Los Muertos-inspired artist market filled with handcrafted goods from local artisans and makers. The exhibition then culminates in a Día de Los Muertos Drag Show & Closing Reception on Friday, November 20, exploring drag as an altar.
Best of all, gallery admission is free for all ages, and RSVPs are encouraged. The two receptions are a $15 suggested donation — youth 16 and under are free, and no one is turned away for lack of funds. Find it all at SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan Street. A joyful, colorful invitation to remember, celebrate, and carry love forward — San Francisco style.
Photo: Claire S. Burke, courtesy of SOMArts.
