10 Places to Celebrate Day of the Dead in the United States
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Dating from pre-Hispanic times, Mexico’s Día de los Muertos
(Day of the Dead) is a celebration of life. As strange as that seems given the
holiday’s skulls (calaveras), Catrinas (skeleton women) and shrines (ofrendas), the impetus is to bring back
the spirit of the departed to comfort the living and share in the present. The
holiday is marked by decorations of marigolds, candles, candy skulls, pan de muertos (a special holiday bread)
and the ever-present La Catrina. Costumes with elaborate Catrina makeup,
parties, parades, and festive meals are all part of the holiday that begins at
the end of October and runs into early November.
Can’t hop a plane to Mexico in the next few weeks? No
worries, there are many places around the US where you can experience a
celebration of Day of the Dead to full effect.
If you love art, you might want to plan a trip to
California.
Los Angeles
Through November 1, Estrella Jalisco Mexican beer invites adults
(over 21 years of age) to take part in an immersive art experience, a
reimagined Día de los Muertos. The multi-room exhibit, entitled A New Día, or A
New Day, inspires discovery of the holiday as a celebration of life the and
living. The program is staged at Wisdome LA, an art entertainment park in the
Downtown Los Angeles Arts District.
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| A New Dia, Los Angeles |
Coachella
With an easy day trip from LA, art lovers have another
opportunity to experience Dia de los Muertos with a variety of creative art
displays set up throughout Coachella’s historic Pueblo Viejo area.
Coachella also celebrates Dia de los Muertos with a
nighttime 5K run/walk event called Run with Los Muertos on November 2. Participants
run or walk in memory of a loved one.
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| Coachella |
Museums are the settings for some of the most popular and
creative celebrations of Day of the Dead, showcasing the diversity of the
United States’ immigrant heritage and paying tribute to our neighbor to the
South.
Philadelphia
Now in its eighth year, the Penn Museum’s CultureFest! Día de los Muertos celebration on October 26 is a family-friendly
afternoon filled with musical and dance performances, puppetry and
storytelling, face painting, sugar skulls, and arts & crafts. The
centerpiece is an elaborate Day of the Dead altar created by artists from the
Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia and the Mexican Cultural Center. Everyone is
invited to bring a photo or memento to place at a communal altar to remember
the passing of a loved one.
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| Davenport, Iowa - Figge Art Museum |
On October 27, Davenport's Figge Art Museum hosts an exhibit and
free celebration for Dia de los Muertos.
Dia de Los Muertos: The Art of Remembrance includes a traditional
altar, cemetery, market and many Catrinas. The Figge’s Studio 1 hands-on space
invites visitors to create fantastic mythical creatures called alebrijes and decorate marigolds and
butterflies in memory of lost loved ones.
Chicago
Celebrated by the National Museum of Mexican Art on November
1, Day of the Dead festivities include altar demonstrations, live
performances, face painting and art activities.
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| Chicago's National Museum of Mexican Art |
Indianapolis
Partnering with Nopal Cultural, Indianapolis’s Latino arts
and culture organization, the free celebration at the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art honors Day of the Dead with musical and
dance performances, art workshops, and shopping at the Mercado. All
participants are invited to join in a spirited parade
Citywide celebrations offer numerous other choices including
parades and races.
San Antonio
The home of the country’s most extensive Dia de los Muertos celebration,
San Antonio hosts dozens of official events citywide ranging from small
gatherings with traditional altars and face painting to multi-day
festivals featuring live music, stilt walkers, Mexican cuisine and festive
parades. The streets are filled with calaveras, painted faces and restaurants
and cafes showcasing their own altars, decor and pan de muerto. Eighteen
Catrinas will be placed across the city including one of Frida Kahlo, one of
Maria Felix, and one of Selena adorned with more than two million beads.
The two-day event from October 26-27 celebrates Day of the Dead through live music, art, ofrendas
and entertainment. Notable is the drum and puppet
procession, a crowd favorite. The festival is held in Hemisfair in downtown San
Antonio.
Continuing into the first week of November, San Antonio’s
Dia de los Muertos events also feature a 5K race and a new three-day
celebration in La Villita Arts Village with children’s activities, art displays,
musical performances, culinary treats and a beer garden. Also new this year, Catrinas
on the River is a River Walk Parade of the city’s iconic river
boats decorated with skeletons, skulls, candles, incense, marigolds and pan de
muerto.
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| San Antonio's Craneos Exhibit |
Fort Lauderdale
The Florida Day of the Dead Celebration takes over downtown Fort Lauderdale for its
10th anniversary on November 2. The
festival features a Skeleton Processional with 50 giant puppets up to 18
feet tall and more than 2000 skeletons. Two stages showcase native dancers from
around the world and a late-night Boneyard Bandstand party keeps the
celebrations going until 4am.
Albuquerque
The Muertos y Marigolds Parade and celebration in Albuquerque draw influence from Jose Guadalupe
Posada’s early 1900’s depiction of personalities and professions as skeletons
or calaveras. Other activities include face paintings, parades and cultural
events.
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| Albuquerque's Muertos y Marigolds Parade |
Raleigh, NC
Day of the Dead celebrations in Raleigh include bike rides,
altars, and music. A 5K run and a costume contest are favorite events.
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| 5K in Raleigh, NC |
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