All Souls Procession 2025

I really enjoy this annual Tucson event

The All Souls Procession is an annual event in Tucson. The Procession, in its 36th year, was created for community members to “ express their grief and loss in a celebration of creative energy and rejoicing of life.” The gathering for the event always begins on Grande Avenue and marches after sunset towards downtown where closing ceremonies take place. You can learn more about Tucson’s All Souls Procession on their web page. I enjoy going to the staging area to see the participants and speak with a few before the Procession begins.

Tina walks in the event annually. This year three of her uncles died within months of each other so their photos, along with a few other friends, were on the poster she was carrying (that photo is on my flickr page- link below).

I didn’t speak with this participant but the blue colors radiate a sense of peace. There are always many photographers at the Procession.

The two women above used their ingenuity and skills to create their personal “sugar skull” or calavera facial design. There are also a number of street artists who offer their services on site. The calavera designs are commonly used due to the festival’s influence by Dia de los Muertos, a commonly celebrated holiday in the Mexican community.

Dia

The non-profit that runs the All Souls Procession depends on volunteers and also raises funds to pay for many services during the event, including police support. Some of the officers do get into the spirit.

Evangelina participates in the Procession every year. Last year she honored her husband Randy who had just passed away. This year for the first time she was unable to walk so she created an ofrenda to honor all of her extended family members whom she has lost. She remained with her ofrenda rather than walk this year.

The Bride?

You don’t have to dress up to participate. Many people go as they are and just carry a photograph or homemade poster of their loved one.

Janessa died of melanoma five years ago. Her mother was not ready to participate until this year and she asked her daughters- Janessa’s sisters- to join her in Tucson. They came from Phoenix and Seattle.

Odaiko Sonora is Tucson’s Japanese taiko (drumming) group that performs at the end of the Procession. It is said they are the heartbeat of the Procession. Their participation is inspired by the Japanese Buddhist Ancestor festival and incorporates aspects of that festival. This year’s ‘masks’ were inspired by Kitsune, supernatural Japanese Fox spirits.

Some photographers volunteer in the official Procession Media Circle. Many photographers are there on their own.

As I was preparing to leave I saw this woman. I didn’t have time to speak with her but she was wearing one of the more intriguing costumes I saw.

You can see more of my photos from this year’s event in the album on my flickr page.

If you want to see more, you can view my 2024 post on that year’s Procession here .

and the rest of the 2024 photos in the flickr album here .

The 2023 album is here .