Día de los Muertos Celebration
Originated in Mexico, Día de los Muertos represents a time to honor and reconnect with the dead in a uniquely beautiful and meaningful manner.
WHEN: Friday, October 27, 4-10pm and Saturday, October 28, 10am-10 pm
WHERE: Santa Fe Plaza, 102 W Palace Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501
COST: Free and open to the public
ABOUT THE CELEBRATION AT THE PLAZA:
¡Bienvenidos! to the City of Santa Fe’s newest tradition, a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration on the Santa Fe Plaza. Said to have originated in Mexico, Día de los Muertos represents a time to honor and reconnect with the dead in a uniquely beautiful and meaningful manner.
This celebration starts on the Santa Fe Plaza on Friday, October 27 from 4-10 pm and Saturday, October 28 from 10 am-10 pm. . For more information visit https://burnzozobra.com/dia/
The Día de los Muertos tradition places emphasis on maintaining ties with ancestors, who are thought to continue to exist on a different plane. The belief behind Day of the Dead practices is that spirits return to the world of the living for one day each year to reunite with their families. To honor these travelers, the living invite the deceased back to their earthly homes to celebrate during the joyous and festive Día de los Muertos.
The focal point of the celebration is the ofrenda, an altar created to honor the deceased loved one. The family prepares the ofrenda with special offerings such as the loved one’s favorite foods, drinks, and personal items, as well as pictures and mementos to welcome the spirit. Community ofrendas adorned by local volunteers will be on site and additional ofrendas are available on a sponsorship basis by visiting this link: https://burnzozobra.com/diahelp/ Please note that no cigarettes or alcohol are permitted on the Plaza.
* Friday, October 27, 4-10 pm
Santa Fe’s inaugural Día de los Muertos opens at 4 pm with festive mariachi music and entertainment on the Santa Fe Bandstand, festooned with papeles picados, the colorful cut paper decorations seen at celebrations throughout Mexico. Signature Mexican foods that have enriched New Mexico’s own cuisine will be available for purchase as well as a variety of traditional items that customarily adorn ofrendas. Expect to see brightly colored masks, decorative skulls, and hundreds of marigolds!
* Saturday, October 28, 10 am-10 pm
Be part of the Día de los Muertos tradition by visiting throughout the day, enjoy live entertainment, sample signature Mexican cuisine from a variety of food trucks and get a free traditional face painting. Free arts and crafts activities for kids are provided by the Santa Fe Public Library and the Mexican Consulate for Albuquerque, which also provides a series of videos on Día de los Muertos traditions.
Bring a chair or a blanket to enjoy the free 6 pm screening of the Disney classic “Coco” on two jumbotron screens thanks to the Lensic Center for the Performing Arts. Once the sun sets, the ofrendas will recieve a traditional Aztec blessing, then the historic Plaza lights up with a Glow-in-the-Dark Candlelight Parade. With the Plaza aglow, a Latinx dance party with live music will fill the Plaza, reminding us to rejoice and dance with the memories of our loved ones.
The Día de los Muertos celebration continues on Sunday, October 29, 1-4 pm at the Museum of International Folk Art.
