Pocatello’s third annual Dia de los Muertos celebration has moved to Old Town, and the community is invited to participate!
Dia de los Muertos, a celebration of the circle of life, is rooted in the pre-Hispanic indigenous traditions of Mexico. It is a way to honor the dead and to nourish the spirits of the living. The Christian holiday calendar settled the date of the celebration at November 2, to coincide with All Souls Day. Dia de los Muertos traditions include feasts and dances in remembrance of the dead, and home altars with photographs of deceased family and friends, along with flowers, candles, incense and favorite foods of the departed.
Some families decorate the graves of loved ones and picnic near them in cemeteries. The traditional skull motif of Dia de los Muertos decorations, from cakes and candies to banners and clothing, finds its roots in the Aztec tradition of using skulls to symbolically represent life and death.
The celebration has spread to many parts of North and Central America, and community celebrations often have a local, as well as a traditional, flavor.
Pocatello’s Dia de los Muertos celebration this year will be held on Friday, Nov. 2, from 6 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. at the Old Town Pavilion located at 420 N. Main Street. The event features a performance by Danza Azteca Quetzalcoatl of Blackfoot, as well as a community altar and an exhibit of masks hand-painted by local students.
Food and drink vendors will be on site.
The organizers of Dia De Los Muertos in Old Town welcome participation from groups and individuals. Participants are invited to bring food items, flowers, candles, or photographs of loved ones for the community altar, though, for space reasons, please limit items to two per participant. Participants can also plan art exhibits, dances, readings, musical performances or anything else that will be a contribution to the spirit of the event.
Vendor space is also available at no cost. If you or your group would like to participate by way of a performance or exhibit, contact Amy Millward at moc.liamgnull@drawllim.yma by Friday, Oct. 26.
