Día de los Muertos in Placerville? How a Mexican celebration signals growing Latino community

As the sun set over Placerville on a recent Thursday night, a few dozen residents filled the Center Street Gallery to appreciate the last two months of work.

Inside the gallery, they walked past the hand-built ofrendas — personal belongings, old photos and favorite foods placed on makeshift altars to mark the traditional Day of the Dead or Día de Muertos. Outside, less than 50 feet away, a mural displayed a noose swinging from a tree and the town’s “Hangtown” nickname.

Day of the Dead is one the most important celebrations in Mexico, with roots dating back thousands of years. It serves as a way to remember and honor loved ones.

But in a town like Placerville, the holiday has long been neglected at the public level.

That’s changed in recent years, coinciding with a growing Latino population and presence in the area. Nearly 20% of the city’s population is Hispanic or Latino, as of 2020, up from 13% in 2010 and 6% in 2000.

“They (Latinos) were pretty invisible 30 years ago,” said James Marquez, director of Center Street Gallery.

A marker of that change is the Sugar Skull Art Walk returning for its fourth year. The community art project invites locals to make ofrendas to publicly display on Main Street.

The project emerged in 2020, amid tension from the pandemic and controversy over Placerville’s logo and nickname. Velsaco and her sister-in-law approached Main Street shops to ask if they would be willing to feature ofrendas on their storefronts.

“My idea was to create space and to create presence and find something that would be bridging between communities,” Melinda Velasco, Sugar Skull Art Walk founder.

And though the project steadily increased in participation, it remained small-scale. This year, the project was armed with a grant from the California Creative Corps.

The increased funding led to more ofrendas, further collaborations and educational opportunities. Students have been visiting the alters for the last few weeks, while receiving a curriculum on the holiday.

Velasco began reaching out to Latino, Indigenous and student communities three months ago to gather their interest in making ofrendas.

Among those who accepted the offer were Malissa Tayaba and Heriberta Ramirez, two longtime Placerville residents.

Tayaba, a tribal member of the nearby Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, immediately jumped at the opportunity. Though not Mexican, Tayaba described a similar perspective of honoring ancestors.

Her family’s ofrenda highlighted both her Hawaiian and native cultures, with photos of elders, handmade baskets, traditional foods and medicine and an assortment of plants.

“It’s a part of who we are and where we come from,” said Tayaba, who worked on her ofrenda alongside Ramirez for the last two months.

Each Thursday, community members would gather to work on their personal ofrendas in preparation for the opening reception earlier this month. The gatherings were reminiscent of Ramirez’s childhood memories. Back in Cuernavaca, Mexico, where she made an ofrenda each year alongside her mother.

That’s why, Ramirez said, she had no doubts about participating. Her ofrenda was inspired by her family’s customs and featured religious symbols, family photos, candles, water, marigold flowers and candy.

“Placerville opened a small part for us to put a little bit of Mexico and our customs,” Ramirez said.

Sugar Skull Art Walk will culminate its festivities on Thursday with a free Día de los Muertos celebration. Participants will walk along Main Street toward the bell tower, where contributions to the community ofrenda can be made.

Then, the group will gather at the Center Street Gallery parking lot for food prepared by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, live Mariachi music, an Aztec dancer performance and face painting.