When did downtown Redwood City last hold its Día de los Muertos celebration? It was Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, according to the date on a Redwood City Pulse photo from that event. The year before, it was Nov. 3, 2024. Both dates sit right next to Nov. 1 and 2, when the holiday is traditionally observed.
This year the celebration is on Sunday, Nov. 8. The one-week move puts it on the opening weekend of the Zoppé Italian Family Circus. The circus tent goes up in the Main Library parking lot at 1044 Middlefield Road, and the Día de los Muertos footprint runs along Broadway to Middlefield Road. The Port's Rock the Dock series is also holding a Día de los Muertos show that Saturday. So for one weekend, downtown and the waterfront are both running a full schedule from Friday evening through Sunday night.
Three Days, One Schedule
All three events are free to walk into except the circus. Here is how the weekend fits together.
| Day | Zoppé Circus, 1044 Middlefield Rd. | Elsewhere in town |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 6 | 6:30 p.m. opening show | Tent box office opens for in-person sales |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Noon, 3 p.m., 7 p.m. | Rock the Dock with Momotombo, Port of Redwood City |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. | Día de los Muertos, Courthouse Square, 3:30 to 8 p.m. |
Sunday is the tight spot. The circus's last show that day starts at 6 p.m. The city says the Día de los Muertos welcome speech and procession "typically" begin at 6 p.m. The two biggest moments of the weekend start at the same time, a short walk apart along Middlefield Road.
Sunday, Hour by Hour
The circus calendar lists a show as running two hours, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for the Friday opener. The city's circus listing describes the show as "two hours of laughter, wonder, and breathtaking artistry." Using that length, a family can fit both events into Sunday this way:
- 3 p.m. circus show. It should let out around 5 p.m. The Día de los Muertos celebration on Broadway opens at 3:30 p.m., so the square will already be running when the tent empties.
- 5 to 6 p.m. on Broadway. This is the hour for the community altars, face painting, the free children's activities, and the food booths. The city lists hot chocolate, pan de muerto, and tamales among the traditional foods.
- 6 p.m. procession. This is the part that would be missed by anyone sitting in the 6 p.m. circus show.
- Until 8 p.m. Live entertainment continues through the evening, according to the city's listing.
The noon show works the same way with more slack. If the 6 p.m. circus seats are what you already booked, Saturday's 7 p.m. show is the swap that keeps Sunday evening open for the procession.
What the Broadway Celebration Holds This Year
Casa Círculo Cultural and the San Mateo County History Museum organize the event in collaboration with the Redwood City Parks & Arts Foundation. This year's theme draws on Tlaxcala, Mexico, and its Indigenous heritage. The city's event listing describes the theme as a way to celebrate "the memories of those who came before us while honoring the enduring connection between past and present."
Patch reports several more pieces:
- dozens of family ofrendas at Courthouse Square
- a free community-ofrendas exhibition inside the History Museum
- sugar-skull workshops and chalk art for children
- a food court with traditional dishes
The museum sits at 2200 Broadway, so the indoor exhibition is a few steps from the outdoor altars.
The performer lineup and full schedule are posted on Casa Círculo Cultural's event page as the date gets closer, according to the Redwood City Pulse. That page has the final word on whether the 6 p.m. procession time holds for 2026.
Saturday Starts the Holiday at the Port
The waterfront gets there a day early. The Rock the Dock 2026 schedule lists Momotombo for Saturday, Nov. 7, billed as a "Dia de los Muertos Celebration" with Latin rock. The Port of Redwood City runs the series free at 459 Seaport Court, with free parking and food vendors on site.
Check the start time before you head out. The organizer's schedule lists the November shows from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The Port's page and the SAMCEDA listing give 3:30 to 6 p.m. Either way, the concert ends before the 7 p.m. circus show, so Saturday can be the Port in the afternoon and the tent at night.
Momotombo is not the season's last show. Pop Rocks plays a dance party on Nov. 14, the final date on the posted schedule.
Parking Once the Tent Takes the Library Lot
The circus tent sits on Library Lot A, the 1044 Middlefield lot on the city's downtown parking list. The city's circus FAQ steers ticket holders to the Box, Jefferson, and Marshall garages. The garage hours on the city's downtown parking page change which one you should pick, depending on the show:
- Marshall Garage, 750 Marshall: open 24 hours. The first 1.5 hours are free, then $1 to $2.50 an hour.
- Jefferson Garage, 850 Jefferson: open 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., with the same 1.5 free hours.
- Crossing 900, 900 Middlefield: the city's FAQ calls this one "the Box." It is open only from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., so it works for evening shows but not for noon or 3 p.m. matinees.
- County Garage, 440 Middlefield: free on Fridays from 4 to 11 p.m., which covers the 6:30 p.m. opening show on Nov. 6.
A two-hour show plus the walk in runs past the 1.5 free garage hours, so expect a small fee in Marshall or Jefferson. Downtown street and surface parking is metered Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a two-hour limit on Broadway. On Saturday, a car parked on Broadway for a 3 p.m. show and an evening at the square would run into that limit. Sunday has no meter hours on the city's schedule, which helps on the day the circus and Día de los Muertos overlap.
The Redwood City Caltrain stop is downtown, and the city's FAQ lists it as a way to reach the tent without parking at all.
Tickets, and Why the Opening Weekend Fills First
The City of Redwood City sends all ticket sales to Afton. The city's ticket page lists weekday shows in the first three weeks at $12 for youth ages 2 to 11, $17 for adults 12 and up, and $22 for the front row. Friday-to-Sunday seats run as high as $25, $30, and $37 on Thanksgiving weekend, the most expensive stretch of the run.
Some rules worth knowing before you buy:
- Online sales run until showtime.
- If a time slot doesn't appear online, it is sold out.
- The tent box office opens 45 minutes before the first show of each day, starting Nov. 6, and takes cash and credit cards.
- There are no refunds or exchanges.
That last rule matters on this weekend in particular. A family that books the Sunday 6 p.m. show and then decides it wants the procession can't trade the tickets in.
This is the circus's 19th year in Redwood City. The city notes that every seat is within 20 feet of the ring.
Where to Eat Around the Showtimes
Two restaurants that opened this fall fit the weekend's schedule:
- Passport Cafe & Bar, 2159 Roosevelt Ave. It soft-opened Oct. 2 in the former Chez Nous space and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the Redwood City Pulse. That makes it a breakfast or early-lunch stop before a noon matinee, not a dinner option.
- Mr. Pan Bistro, 711 El Camino Real. It started serving Taiwanese comfort food on Sept. 17 and stays open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, the Pulse reported. That covers dinner before the 6:30 p.m. Friday opener.
On Sunday evening, dinner can come from the Día de los Muertos food court on Broadway.
The Rest of November
The circus stays through Nov. 29, with no show on Thanksgiving Day. Its last performance is the 3 p.m. show on Sunday, Nov. 29. Saturday, Nov. 21 is another stacked day. ART on the Square holds its 11th Annual Holiday Show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the San Mateo County History Museum, with free admission. The tent runs noon, 3 p.m., and 7 p.m. shows that day. On Wednesday nights, Alhambra Irish House at 831 Main St. hosts a blues jam from 7 to 10 p.m., according to the Redwood City Pulse.
After the tent comes down, the next big downtown date is Hometown Holidays on Saturday, Dec. 12, from about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The city plans a parade, a tree lighting, performances, and vendors, and it notes that the details are tentative.
Homeowners near Middlefield and Broadway see more of downtown's weekends than most. If you're wondering what a home this close to the action would net you after taxes and costs, Anita Salas can run those numbers with you. Request your free Net-Proceeds & Capital-Gains consultation.
