For those who celebrate Día de los Muertos, skulls and souls are the opposite of spooky when the holiday comes around.
In the days after Halloween, communities around the Puget Sound will celebrate with poetry, music and art as part of a joyful tradition to commemorate the lives of departed loved ones.
Día de los Muertos, known in English as the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 or 2. Families honor the dead with offerings of food, flowers and drinks on lavishly decorated altars called ofrendas, and some dress up as catrinas, or skeletons, mirroring the brightly colored sugar skulls that often adorn an ofrenda.
In Lynnwood, the WAGRO Foundation will celebrate the holiday early with a massive gathering at the Lynnwood Convention Center, 3711 196th St SW, on Saturday. The event is free and open to the public. It will run from noon to 5:30 p.m.
Contests will be held to choose the best catrin/catrina, ofrenda and calaverita literaria, or literary skull, a type of satirical poem traditionally written in honor of a dead loved one. A panel of judges will select winners based on aesthetic value, use of traditional Mexican elements and creativity, and cash prizes are offered for the top three picks in each category.
The Lynnwood event will also feature raffles, art exhibitions, food and activities for kids. Spanish singer-songwriter Paco Diez will provide live music. Attendees are invited to bring photos, battery-operated candles and flowers to place on the community ofrenda in honor of departed loved ones. Contest rules and more information can be found at the City of Lynnwood’s site, lynnwoodwa.gov.
The Diversity and Equity Center at Everett Community College will host a celebration in the Russell Day Gallery, located in Parks Student Union, 2000 Tower St. From 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, attendees can place offerings on the altar and partake in food and hands-on crafts while learning about the history and iconography of Día de los Muertos. More information can be found on Everett Community College’s website, everettcc.edu.
The Edmonds Waterfront Center, 220 Railroad Ave., is celebrating the holiday on Thursday with a community event from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There will be dancers, music, refreshments and a display of ofrendas for all to enjoy.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
