Colorado’s largest Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration began this month with an exhibit at the Longmont Museum and culminates Saturday, November 2, at an all-day Family Fiesta in downtown Longmont. The annual event attracts more than 6,000 people during this time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. Día de los Muertos is a time to honor and celebrate deceased loved ones. It is a time when the living remember and honor departed relatives.
This year, the event will move to a new location in downtown Longmont outdoors at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Kimbark Street. The Longmont Museum is joining forces with the Firehouse Art Center, Longmont Downtown Development Authority, and El Comité de Longmont to bring you the biggest and best Día de los Muertos celebration Longmont has ever seen—all held downtown. The Family Fiesta will feature live music and dancing, sugar-skull decorating, traditional food, altars, craft making, Catrina face painting, and so much more. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their finest calaca (skeleton) apparel. Parking will be available in public lots or on-street in downtown Longmont, or attendees can take a free shuttle from the Longmont Museum to view their exhibit as well.
After the Family Fiesta, attendees can join a procession of dozens of gigantes, traditional giant puppets made by local artists. The procession will depart from the Family Fiesta and walk through downtown Longmont, circling back and ending at the stage on 4th Avenue and Kimbark Street.
To round out the night of Día de los Muertos festivities, Firehouse Art Center will once again hold their Catrina Ball at the Dickens Opera House. The venue will be decorated with candles, marigolds, and traditional papel picado. $15 general admission includes deadly drinks, festive food, live music, and an exhibition of altars. Attendees can get their faces painted at the Family Fiesta and continue the fun while dancing well into the night. Tickets are available for purchase at dickensoperahouse.com or call 303-834-9384.
The Longmont Museum will continue to host its Día de los Muertos exhibition of altars for the dead and art on site at the Museum at 400 Quail Road. In partnership with the Denver Botanic Gardens, the Longmont Museum is proud to showcase an exploration of the iconic female figure known as La Catrina in this exhibition. One of Día de los Muertos’ most recognizable icons, La Catrina was born out of Mexican social satire depicting the upper classes and is still seen today in celebration of the holiday. Experience this rich history and iconography through colorful calaca (skeleton) sculptures created by artist Ricardo Soltero. Altars for the dead created by community members are also a central part of the exhibition. Altars and gigantes will be on display through November 3. Self-guided tours are available anytime, visitors can pick up an altar and gigante map from Downtown businesses or download a printable map, for more info: downtownlongmont.com or contact 303-651-8484.
November 2, 2-6pm – Free Family Fiesta at 4th and Kimbark in Downtown Longmont: This year, Longmont Museum will have a new celebration location in downtown Longmont outdoors at the intersection of 4th Avenue and Kimbark St. More info: longmontmuseum.org or call 303-651-8374.
November 2, 6:15-7pm – Free Gigantes Procession through Downtown Longmont: The procession begins and end at 4th Avenue and Kimbark St. Join a free community procession of dozens of gigantes, traditional giant puppets made by local artists. The procession will depart from the Family Fiesta and walk through downtown Longmont, ending at the stage on 4th Avenue and Kimbark St. More info: Firehouse Art Center at 303-651-2787 or info@firehouseart.org.
November 2, 7:30-11pm – Catrina Ball at Dickens Opera House, $15 General Admission: The 7th annual Catrina Ball at the Dickens Opera House will be an event to celebrate the lives of those who have already made the journey into the Great Beyond. The name, Catrina Ball, refers to the Calavera Catrina – a 1910–1913 zinc etching by the Mexican printmaker, cartoon illustrator and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada. She is offered as a satirical portrait of those Mexican natives who, Posada felt, were aspiring to adopt European aristocratic traditions in the pre-revolution era. La Catrina has become an icon of the Mexican Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as Catrinas – with fancy clothes and faces painted like skulls. Dickens Opera House will be decorated with candles, marigolds and papel picado, and will feature an exhibition including a community ofrenda (altar), a community sugar skull wall, and a Catrina wall with drawings by local artists. Proceeds benefit the Firehouse Art Center and the Longmont Museum.
$15 admission includes deadly drinks, festive food, live music, and an exhibition of altars. Get your face painted as a Catrina at the Family Fiesta and get ready to dance. Buy tickets at dickensoperahouse.com,
or contact Firehouse Art Center at 303-651-2787 or info@firehouseart.org.
Learn more at longmontmuseum.org or call 303-651-8374.
For More Colorado News: ELSEMANARIOCOLORADO.COM
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