Mexico marks Day of the Dead with grand parade

More than 1 million people watched on as colourful floats and people in costumes marched through Mexico City during a grand parade for the Day of the Dead on Saturday, according to the city administration.

Mexico began celebrating the Day of the Dead on Friday with illuminated skeletons, skulls and sweets to commemorate their deceased relatives over the two Catholic holidays of All Saints and All Souls on November 1 and 2.

Saturday's parade of seven floats was accompanied by at least 10,000 people in fancy dress, according to the city authorities.

The parade, which leads along a route of 8 kilometres from Chapultepec park to Zócalo square, was instituted by the city in 2016.

The UN cultural organization UNESCO included the custom in its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

The celebration is seen as a merging of pre-colonial rites and Catholic holidays introduced in the 16th century. The festival also coincides with the end of the harvest.