Día de Muertos Celebration

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• Contribute to a community ofrenda.
  
• Watch live music and performances.
  
• Engage with hands-on art activities.
  
• Installation by artist Cal Duran.
  
• See ofrendas created by local school and community groups.
  
• Food and drink available for purchase.
  
• New this year! Shop at a mercado with food vendors and artisans.
  
• New this year! A children’s costume parade will be held on both days.
  

RSVPS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a tradition that dates back around 3,000 years in Latin America. Mesoamerican cultures such as the Aztec, Toltec, Quechua, Mapuche, and others hold a cyclical view of the universe in which death is an integral part of life. The dead are still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit, and are welcomed back to Earth during el Día de Muertos.

The revival of the observance of Día de Muertos in the United States is part of the Mexican American reclamation of Indigenous identity that began with the Chicano Movement, which spanned from the 1940s to the 1970s. This celebration continues to evolve in different ways in various regions, illustrating the importance of reclaiming cultural heritage and tradition. Within the United States, it has evolved as a mix of Latin American Indigenous practices, Roman Catholic spiritual traditions, and diasporic Hispano/a, and Latinx American cultural expression. Like many holidays, it is celebrated in different ways by individuals, families, and communities. Ofrendas (offerings) are made to honor those who have passed and often make creative or socially engaged statements.