It is the end of October, which means it’s time to pull out the face paint and dress up as zombie brides and wicked pirates. But for those in Latin America, this is a time to remember and honor those who have passed away. The holiday is not nearly a somber occasion, but a celebration filled with music, memories and lots of food.
Day of the Dead celebrations will take place in the Rialto Center by Aderhold on Nov. 3 from 5-8 p.m. There will be face painting—but not the cute butterfly on one cheek; an artist will transform faces into a skeleton. Also, there will be various Latinos involved in a visual art exhibition and, of course, traditional Mexican food.
“The alter maker last year invited us to bring photographs to put in the alter,” said Leslie Gordon, director for the Rialto Center. “That’s my favorite part… it’s touching to see what relatives chose to represent their memories in these alters.”
In Mexico, flower petals are scattered on the ground from cemetaries to houses as a guide for the souls of the family to come home for the holiday. Oftentimes, families will bring fruits, flowers and boomboxes playing their departed member’s favorite music as they spend time celebrating life and cleaning up the cemetery.
Pumpkins are to Halloween as sugar skulls are to Day of the Dead. There will be a tableset for those interested in making crafts and personal sugar skulls at the Day of the Dead event. Often times, these sugar skulls will have names of a deceased individual on the forehead and will be decorated to be placed in alters.
“It all may sound morbid,” says Gordon, “but it’s a comforting sense of communion for families with loved ones who have passed away.”
