From community events like one in Lynwood to large-scale festivals including Olvera Street’s nine-day event, people are coming together across Los Angeles and Orange counties to celebrate Día de Muertos the traditional holiday with deep roots in Mexican Indigenous culture.
Día de Muertos (also called Día de los Muertos) is a celebration, a time to honor and remember the life of a deceased loved one. But it’s not limited to departed family members and friends; people also honor singers, actors and even their pets by building ofrendas, or altars, in their homes or in community spaces.
Altars come alive with colorful papel picado, fresh or paper marigolds, food and drink and mementos. The ofrenda is a portal for the souls of the departed to return to the land of the living for a day and be with the friends and family who loved them.
This year many Día de Muertos event organizers and communities around Southern California are building altars so the public can contribute a photo or memento of the person or pet they want to celebrate.
The Los Angeles Times is taking part by building an altar at Hollywood Forever Cemetery’s 23rd Day of the Dead celebration Oct. 29. The altar is being designed and built by Latino scenery director and stage-set designer Ricardo Soltero. It will be a tribute to Times employees and employees’ families as well as submissions from The Times’ digital ofrenda from last year.
The digital ofrenda is making a comeback this year — anyone can submit a memory of a loved one to be published online.
If you want to contribute to an altar or celebrate Día de Muertos, here are 33 places or events in Southern California to check out.
