Festival de Barriletes Gigantes or Day of the Dead Kite Festival 2024 in Guatemala

The first days of November are marked by the most colorful and delicious festivities observed in Guatemala. The residents of Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez gather around the main cemetery of the country to honor the dead through flowing giant kites made of paper, cloth patches, and bamboo frames. Similar displays can be observed in Comalapa.

The festival showcases how a day associated with death can be transformed into an uplifting event full of shared memories, culture, and joy​. Despite the seemingly somber theme, the festival is filled with joy and excitement.

Festival de Barriletes Gigantes Traditions and Activities

This tradition is believed to be over 3,000 years old, since long ago, indigenous people regarded kites as tools to communicate with ancestors who had passed away. According to the custom, the souls of the dead can visit the living once a year for 24 hours, and kites act as lighthouses to help spirits find their family and loved ones.

Over time, families of the deceased started attaching messages to the tail or string of the kite. The message reaches its intended recipient once it travels upward and touches the kite itself.

The octagonal kite, which has a unique rounded shape, symbolizes the four cardinal points: north, south, east, and west, with four additional points forming a crown, namely the crown of the sun. Fringed paper is attached to four of the eight sides, the rustling of which is supposed to scare away evil spirits. The construction of such kites takes 40 days.

The vibrant kites explain why the festival is the most colorful, but foodies must be already impatient concerning the word "delicious"—for you, the festival presents the only occasion all year to sample the iconic Guatemalan dish Fiambre, made of around 50 ingredients.

The ancient tradition of sharing food with ancestors in cemeteries has existed since the Pre-Columbian era. Other traditional foods served on this day include tamales, ayote en dulce (sweet potatoes in milk), pan de muertos (sweet bread made for the holiday), pastries, and skull candy.

Certain regions of the country have their own elements of celebration. For example, Todos Santos Cuchumatán is renowned for wild horse races and its wide variety of spirits consumed during the festival.​ Although Kite Festivals are by far the most visible and joyful activities, cemeteries throughout the country hold quieter and more respectful remembrances.