In many American communities, especially those with a large Hispanic population, Day of the Dead celebrations are very similar to those held in Mexico. In some of these communities, such as in Texas and Arizona the celebrations tend to be mostly traditional. For example, the All Souls Procession has been an annual Tucson event since 1990. The event combines elements of traditional Day of the Dead celebrations with those of pagan harvest festivals. People wearing masks carry signs honoring the dead and an urn in which people can place slips of paper with prayers on them to be burned. Likewise, Old Town San Diego, California annually hosts a very traditional two-day celebration culminating in a candlelight procession to the historic El Campo Santo Cemetery.
Every November in the villages of Mexico, communities gather in local cemeteries to honor departed loved ones and to celebrate the joy of living. The traditions and activities that take place in celebration of the Day of the Dead are not universal, often varying from town to town.