A Hybrid Dia De Muertos Festival Seattle Remembers And Celebrates The Departed

Seattle Center Festál: Dia de Muertos Festival Seattle, streaming at 12 noon on Sunday, Oct. 31, presents traditional dances, pre-Columbian music and a lecture by archeologist Lorena Medina, who will offer reflection and perspective on the 500th anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlan, known today as Mexico City. The live stream also features a demonstration of champurrado, a traditional hot chocolate from the state of Oaxaca. The public may access the content at www.seattlecenter.com/festal.

The festival will also have an in-person presence, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., daily, Oct. 30 - Nov. 7, at Fisher Pavilion, with a traditional sand painting, or tapete, and personal ofrenda (altar) displays created by members of the presenting community, including a monumental altar in Michoacan style.

The festival will open a community altar to the public so that they may honor and pay respect to those who have lost their lives, especially victims of the COVID-19 pandemic given its significant impact on our community. Organizers felt compelled to open this sacred space and let the community know that the festival is here to help them celebrate and remember their departed. Visitors may bring a photo or card dedicated to the person to place on the altars.

Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) honors the spirits of departed loved ones, reconnecting with them through celebration and remembrance. With roots in ancient Mesoamerica, Dia de Muertos has survived centuries of colonial oppression and remains a treasured holiday throughout the modern Latinx diaspora. It is not a day to mourn, but a time to celebrate that death is an integral, ever-present part of the life cycle.

Learn more about the festival here: http://www.seattlecenter.com/events/featured-events/festal/dia-de-muertos.

Seattle Center Festál highlights the culturally rich communities who help shape the character and course of our region. The series, presented virtually in 2021, provides a forum for cultural groups to come together and share their stories with the greater community. The series began in 1997 to offer a central place for festivals to invite the public to join in their unique cultural expression.

Seattle Center presents Seattle Center Festál: Dia de Muertos Festival Seattle in partnership with a committee of volunteers who are dedicated to preserving Latinx culture and traditions. Streaming and entry to the exhibition are free of charge. For more information, visit www.seattlecenter.com/festal or call 206-684-7200.

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