Día de los Muertos celebrations around the Bay Area this past week took time to remember and honor deceased loved ones.
The La Ofrenda Día de los Muertos and wellness fair in Gilroy saw thousands of attendees in its inaugural run Saturday; Oakland’s 28th annual Día de los Muertos Festival drew a huge crowd to Fruitvale district on Sunday.
The 29th annual Día De Los Muertos Celebration took place at the Oakland Museum of California last week, but was moved indoors because of rainy weather.
The Day of the Dead, which is widely observed in Mexico, is a holiday traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, although other days such as Oct. 31 or Nov. 6 may be included depending on the location. Traditions include honoring the dead using calaveras (skulls) and marigold flowers, and building colorful home altars called ofrendas with the favorite foods and beverages of the departed.
“If we don’t address the cultural needs of our youth, and we don’t pass down these traditions and these kinds of celebrations and history, then it can quickly get lost,” said Gilroy organizer Dario Villa.
Bay Area News Group’s Luis Melecio-Zambrano contributed to this report.
Festivalgoers Carolina Perez, right, of Gilroy, and her brother Ramon Barriga Fajardo, of San Jose, stroll along 5th Street during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) A photograph of Lince is on displayed on an ofrenda during the 29th annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration at the Oakland Museum of California in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. Lince was rescued as a kitten by her owner Luz Islas, of Oakland, who had the cat for eight years until it died in 2012. Lince was special to her because it was her first pet she ever owned, and that’s why Lince is on her ofrenda. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) The lowrider cars show featured trunk altars displayed during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Leroy Gonsalez, of Gilroy, honors the occasion during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Aztec dancers perform during the 28th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. The event held in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, included musical performances, food vendors, and a classic car show. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) Visitors stroll along International Boulevard looking over vintage cars on display during the 28th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. The event held in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, included musical performances, food vendors, and a classic car show. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) Minerva Corral has her face painted during the 28th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. The event held in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, included musical performances, food vendors, and a classic car show. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) Festivalgoers stroll past a skull decorated with marigold flowers also known as the flower of the dead during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Liliana Bernardo with the Ollin Anahuac Traditional Aztec Dance Group performs a dance during the 29th annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration at the Oakland Museum of California in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. Because of the weather many of the performances that were planned outside were moved inside. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) A line of marigold flowers also known as the flower of the dead, form a trail to the one of the altars displayed on 5th Street during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Tia Enriquez and her daughter, Charlie, 5, of Gilroy, enjoy the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Tonantzin Salcedo, 6, of Gilroy, walks past the La Gran Ofrenda altar displayed on 5th Street during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Mario Valadez with the Ollin Anahuac Traditional Aztec Dance Group blows into a seashell during the 29th annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration at the Oakland Museum of California in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. Because of the weather many of the performances that were planned outside were moved inside. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) Festivalgoers stroll along El Camino de Ofrendas on 5th Street featuring altars during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) A large decorated skull is on display on an ofrenda during the 29th annual Dia De Los Muertos Celebration at the Oakland Museum of California in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group) Aztec dancers perform during the 28th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023, in Oakland, Calif. The event held in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, included musical performances, food vendors, and a classic car show. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) A line of marigold flowers also known as the flower of the dead, form a trail to the one of the altars displayed on 5th Street during the inaugural La Ofrenda Festival which celebrates Dia de los Muertos in downtown Gilroy, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. People dressed in decorative Day of the Dead attire enjoy the festival featuring traditional altars, offerings characteristic of the holiday, food, art, live music, informative booths and free wellness screenings. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
Московские врачи провели младенцу сложнейшую операцию на поджелудочной железе
Ускоряя эволюцию автомобильного интеллекта: Группа Geely и StepFun представляют совместную экспозицию на Всемирной конференции по искусственному интеллекту 2025 года
В Корпоративном университете «ЛокоТех» за первое полугодие 2025 года обучено более 2500 человек и создано 8 новых программ
Дочь Джонни Деппа опубликовала фото в прозрачном наряде
«Деньги не пахнут»: Как Blox World наживается на доверии игроков Roblox
If you'd like to see Meta's AI gunk purged from WhatsApp, a new antitrust investigation in Italy might just do the trick
Bungie continues to fire into its feet with both barrels: A new armor set in Destiny 2 has just been disabled because it makes the player who wears it completely invisible
