Tucson's All Souls Procession back as in-person event this November

Another one of Tucson’s most popular and long-running traditions is back on the holiday calendar.

Many Mouths, One Stomach, organizers for the 32nd annual All Souls Procession Weekend, announced Monday the event would be celebrated again after a year when it was held virtually because of the pandemic.

“We are pleased to announce that we will be proceeding with The All Souls Procession, including the Processional along Tucson’s west side, culminating in the ‘Restoration of Care’ ceremony and burning of the URN at MSA Annex,” the events website was updated to read Monday. “Let the celebration begin.”

This year’s events will be held from Friday, Nov. 5, through Sunday, Nov. 7, when the procession honoring the dearly departed will take place.

And while organizers are not requiring attendees and participants be vaccinated or wear a mask, they do highly recommend it, and ushers will be on hand with masks to hand out.

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“You were going to make some crazy mask anyway, weren’t you?” the group said on the events website. “Be creative. Have fun with it.”

The event route will begin on Tucson’s west side in the historic Barrio Hollywood on North Grande Avenue heading south, taking a quick jaunt left onto West St. Mary’s Road, before turning south again on North Bonita Avenue and continuing on past the Garden of Gethsemane and ending between the Santa Cruz River and the Mercado San Augustin.

Started in 1990 as a small event, the All Souls Procession weekend has grown to be one of Tucson’s largest festivals, drawing upward of 250,000 people at its height.

The announcement came a week after another Tucson holiday staple, The Winterhaven Festival of Lights, announced it too would be held again after a pandemic-related break in 2020.