RiseBoro Community Partnership is proud to present the Thirteenth edition of ¡CalabazaFest!, the colorful, outdoor, cross-cultural, family-friendly, fun and free costume party celebrating Day of the Dead, Halloween, and harvest festival traditions.

Sunday October 29th 2023

11:00 am – 4:00 pm

¡CalabazaFest! has become an eagerly-awaited highlight of autumn in Bushwick, bringing together local community and arts organizations, all working in concert to create a joyous day celebrating community, creativity, diversity, and cultural expression.

Held at the RiseBoro Youth Center, ¡CalabazaFest! features a fantastic live stage show of music, mariachi, and dance performances, a special edition RB Farmers Market, pumpkin carving, and a creative costume contest (beginning at 2:00pm).

¡CalabazaFest! Behind the Scenes

RiseBoro Community Partnership, a multi-service nonprofit organization with over 40 years of service to the community, is proud to present ¡CalabazaFest!, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019. RiseBoro thanks Council Member Jennifer Guittierez for supporting ¡CalabazaFest!.

Alvaro Paulino, Jr. (of The New York City Mariachi, Inc.), is an internationally renowned, fifth-generation mariachi band leader (and Bushwick resident), serves as Music Director for ¡CalabazaFest!. He will be onstage with his own Mariachi Tapatio de Alvaro Paulino, who will be followed by Mariachi Juvenil Tapatio de Alvaro Paulino – young protegees from his New York City Mariachi Conservatory.

Mazarte Dance Company, led by founder and director Martha Nora Zarate-Alvarez, has become an integral part of ¡CalabazaFest!, presenting thrilling performances in fabulous traditional costume.

Local artist/designer Sean-Michael Fleming, creator of ¡CalabazaFest!, serves as Creative Director, lending his years of graphic, event, and theater design experience to the event.