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Lowriders gleamed at the entrance as Catrinas in sweeping gowns moved through the bustling crowds. Vendors set out their wares beside ofrendas honoring the dead. Then the music started, brass and drums carrying across the Mission campus into the evening.

This was the fourth annual Camino de los Muertos at Santa Clara University, which brought in thousands of attendees from both the campus community and the surrounding South Bay. Beginning at 5 p.m., the community gathered in Mission Church for Mass, followed by a procession of Catrinas to the main stage behind a mariachi, with the Diablitos following close behind.

Across two stages, performers from Oaxaca and California carried traditions across generations: the Danza de los Diablos of Santiago Juxtlahuaca, the musicians of Banda La Antigua, Los Compadres Calenda Oaxaqueña, and the young dancers of Chinas Oaxaqueñas San Pablo Apóstol.

“Camino de los Muertos has become a cherished opportunity to welcome people from across the region to campus,” said Ray Plaza, senior director of the Office for Campus Climate and Belonging at Santa Clara University. “There’s so much joy in learning from one another, building community, and celebrating our cultural traditions together.”

These photographs capture some of those hours: the faces, the sound, and the people who came to remember together.