EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Thousands of people in the El Paso region gathered Downtown to celebrate during the 2024 Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival and Parade.
“(Day of the Dead) is a time to honor our loved ones, to share our culture, to share our knowledge and lives,” said City of El Paso Production and Marketing Coordinator Lucero Duran. “This year, we’re excited because we have the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC). We have new things happening Downtown. So it’s an exciting time to come Downtown and check out what we have to offer.”
The theme for this year’s festival was Raices Ancestrales (Ancestral Roots).
The San Jacinto Plaza and Cleveland Square Park were the center of the vibrant festivities. On display were alebrijes (Mexican folk-art sculptures) and a community ofrenda (altar). While El Pasoans adorned the streets of Downtown in colorful catrina (Mexican skeleton-woman) costumes, all of which are staples of the celebration.
The event also had many different activities for families to enjoy, including live music and entertainment; food and artisan vendors; free craft and culinary activities; and more altars and displays at the El Paso Museum of Art.
But the highlight of the event was the parade that featured brightly decorated floats, large-sized alebrijes and animals, and live music and dancers.
The procession began at the intersection of East Mills Street and Campbell Street, and made its way to lower Santa Fe Street.
El Pasoans said they gathered to remember and celebrate what Day of the Dead means to them.
“My mother passed away from breast cancer in 2022, so we try to instill the (tradition). We set up an altar at home to celebrate Día de los Muertos to keep (her) memories alive,” said El Pasoan Carla Martinez.
“I want everyone to make sure that they at least spend one last memory with their dead relatives to make sure they have a good trip to the afterlife,” said El Pasoan Jordan Bryant.
“I would like to honor my boyfriend’s brother and my dad’s uncle Joe, who have all passed away,” said El Pasoan Samantha Pinon.
Day of the Dead is observed throughout Mexico on Nov. 1-2. It is a vibrant celebration and serves as a day of remembrance for people’s loved ones who have already died.
According to the El Paso Museum of Art, the celebration is rooted in overarching ritual practices that trace back to various indigenous cultures of Mexico, that are firmly associated with death and rooted in strong beliefs about the afterlife.
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