From Visalia to Sacramento, Día de los Muertos celebrations will take the spotlight

For many Valley residents with Mexican heritage, the celebration of Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead is very important as it keeps the memory of their departed loved ones alive, especially those who are buried in their homeland.

One thing to clarify for those who don’t know much about this Mexican tradition that dates back thousands of years is that is not the Mexican version of Halloween.

It is sacred in the Mexican culture with festivities taking place during the first two days of November – Nov. 1 All Saints’ Day and Nov. 2 All Souls’ Day – throughout towns and cities in México to remember those who have died with offerings, altars, family gatherings and visits to their gravesites.

The Central Valley has witnessed an increase of Día de los Muertos celebrations from Sacramento to Kings and Tulare counties.

Some events have been taking place for decades, others are newer. Some start as early as Oct. 21 while some take place on the main date, Nov. 2.

Día de los Muertos celebration is returning this weekend to downtown Modesto to pre-COVID times, as the world pandemic played a big role in the 2020 and 2021 cancellations, said Rebecca Harrington, with American GI Forum that organizes the community event in downtown.

“We came back last year in 2022 in downtown. It was a little bit smaller than what we had in the past. But now we are back to four streets,” Harrington said.

The last big celebration was held in 2019.

Harrington said she is grateful the city is sponsoring 10 percent of this year’s budget, plus five high school clubs with students volunteering to help out during the event.

“Without those volunteers, no se hace (it is not done). At the end of the day that is what makes my event happen, those volunteers,” Harrington said.

Harrington said the movie ‘Coco’ will be screened free at 2:30 p.m. at the State Theatre downtown for those children who didn’t get the opportunity to watch the movie in the big screen.

“We are going about and beyond,” Harrington said.

For Consuelo Medina, with the Kings Cultural Center, organizing the annual Día de los Muertos has been a family affair for a decade as her husband, daughters and other relatives, along with the center’s board members, organized the event in the Kings County community of Armona.

The center was one of the first to host Día de los Muertos celebrations in Kings County, opening the door to other celebrations in later years.

Medina said a main focus of the celebration are the altares and ofrendas. Not only can community members get a space for a personal altar to honor their loved ones at the celebration, but the center builds an altar – usually 16 by 20 feet – that can take weeks to put together.

Having the celebration is a way to continue passing on the culture and traditions to younger generations, while remembering and honoring the memories of departed loved ones, Medina said.

This is going to be the third year the indigenous community in Madera has hosted its Día de los Muertos celebration at the Courthouse Park.

“In the city there was no place to celebrate the Day of the Dead with the authenticity that is done in our towns. We tried to make it as authentic as possible,” said Rosa Hernández.

“Giving a space for people to feel identified and to have a place where we can gather and remember those loved ones who are no longer with us,” said Hernández, adding that it is one of the most important festivities of indigenous peoples.

“Even if we had to save all year for candles and flowers, it had to be done, because it is something that is not optional,” Hernández said.

Seeing that there was no authentic celebration in Madera, they joined forces to make it a reality.

Hernández said the indigenous community has been involved in the planning of the free event from making the papel picado by hand to making the bread of the dead.

“Our idea is to offer something authentic. Have a celebration with the due respect that all of this deserves,” she said.

Here is some Día de los Muertos events:

Saturday, Oct. 21:

▪ Modesto’s Día de los Muertos, a community-wide celebration starting at 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on 10th Street Plaza. The family friendly event will include mariachi, ballet folklórico, bands, handcrafted artisanal vendors, food court, non-profit information and altares/ofrendas from community members. There will also be a candlelight procession with Catrinas & Catrins ending with a closing blessing from an Aztec dance group.

▪ Sol Collective, The Center for Sacramento History, and the City of Sacramento will celebrate Día de los Muertos from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. with activities and entertainment for the whole family at the Old Sacramento Waterfront along with ofrendas (altars), music, lowriders and an Aztec dance ceremony and procession.

Saturday, Oct. 28

▪ Visalia Día de los Muertos 2023 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Visalia Public Cemetery (1300 W. Goshen Ave, Visalia) hosted by Tulare County League of Mexican American Women.

▪ Arte Américas’s Día de Muertos Cala Gala from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at center, 1630 Van NEss Avenue in Fresno. Event includes ofrenda, vendors, danza, folklorico and musical performances as well as a catrina concents.

Sunday, Oct. 29

▪ Kings Cultural Center 10th annual Día de los Muertos from 11: 30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 14054 Front St. in Armona. There will be a grito contest, 50/50 raffle, Aztec dancers, ballet Folklorico Sol Del Valle, Centro de Folklore Selma, cumbia and more.

Wednesday, Nov. 1

▪ West Hills College Lemoore’s 7th annual Día de los Muertos from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the college library resource center amphitheater. Festivities include live performances, commemorative altars, arts and crafts, and food.

Thursday, Nov. 2

▪ Hornitos Día de los Muertos at 6 p.m. at Hornitos Plaza. After meeting in the plaza observers follow with a candlelight procession a short distance up the hill to historic St. Catherine’s Church and cemetery. Festivities begin close to dusk.

▪ Indigenous community in Madera is hosting its third annual celebration of Día de los Muertos from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m at Courthouse Park, 210 W. Yosemite Ave in Madera. Free family event will showcase how indigenous community from Oaxaca celebrate Día de los Muertos in an authentic indigenous celebration.

▪ Sacramento community’s 48th annual Día de los Muertos celebration at St. Mary Cemetery, 6509 Fruitridge Rd, Sacramento with procession at 12 p.m. at 21st Avenue entrance, danza at 1:30 p.m. and mass at 3 p.m.

▪ Hanford Día de los Muertos, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Hanford Mall hosted by the Hanford Multicultural Theater Company. The free event will include mariachi, Aztec dances, circle drumming, area dances, catrinas, vendors and altars.

▪ Mercado Night Martket’s Día de los Muertos from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bob Hart Square, on Main Street in Merced hosted by the Merced County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The free family-friendly event encourages the public to bring ofrendas to honor their departed loved ones as well as their best calavera outfit.

Friday, Nov. 3

▪ The Aguilas de Oro de Clovis West High School will have its Dia de los Muertos recital on Nov. 3 at the Kastner School gym. Doors open at 6 p.m. with recital at 6:30 p.m. Tickets at the door: $5. Under 5 free.

Saturday, Nov. 4

▪ Selma Día de los Muertos from 2 to 7 p.m. at Pioneer Village hosted by Centro de Folklor. The event will include folklórico performances, food and local craft vendors, altares and ofrendas.

▪ Siren’s second annual Día de los Muertos Community Celebration from noon to 4 p.m. at Calwa Park, 4545 Church Ave, in Fresno. The free family event includes community resources, live music, free health services among other activities.

▪ Murphys 12th annual Día de los Muertos at Historic Downtown and Community Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with traditional artisan vendors, food, drinks, catrin and catrina contest, and community altar in the park.