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Día de los Muertos celebration transforms Old Town with ofrendas, globitos and more
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Old Town is coming alive to honor the dead with a 10-day Día de los Muertos celebration running Friday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Nov. 2.
The event culminates in Old Town transforming into a Plaza de los Recuerdos on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. The community can sign up for a 6-by-6-foot spot and build an ofrenda in the plaza.
J.J. Mancini, president of the Historic Old Town Association, said last year the event had about 20 ofrendas and they expect up to 75 this year. He said it gives opportunities for various types of ofrendas, which are offerings placed in an altar honoring a deceased loved one.
“If you have 20 different ofrendas, you probably have 20 different reasons,” Mancini said.
“That’s the goal of ofrendas, to think of those loved ones who have gone before us,” Mancini said. “Or who we’ve lost, and continue to keep their memories of who they were and who they are alive.”
The ofrendas will be blessed by Mario Del Angel Guevara, a practitioner of traditional healing known as a curandero.
“There seemed to be a large community outpouring and desire for the ability to celebrate Día de los Muertos by building ofrendas in a very public fashion like this,” Mancini said. “And because it is free, because it is community-led, we figured this would be the next natural progression, if we could get a community leader to also come and bless the ofrendas.”
Aside from a blessing by Del Angel Guevara, events include a Catrina procession, a candlelight procession and more traditional events for the community.
“As a community, we’re trying to celebrate this event as culturally authentic as possible,” Mancini said.
He said that while keeping to traditional Mexican traditions, they also incorporate elements of New Mexico into the celebration.
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“One of the kinds of New Mexican flavor pieces is we’re doing a little globitos … So we take over North Plaza Street and in front of the church,” Mancini said.
“What is New Mexican candlelight, or Albuquerque candlelight? It’s a tiny, little hot air balloon.”
The Globitos Candlelight Glow will be on the street and church courtyard on Saturday, Oct. 25, Sunday, Oct. 26, and Thursday, Oct. 30, according to the Old Town website.
Mancini said he finds that Western culture doesn’t give a healthy opportunity to remember the dead, but the celebration of Día de los Muertos does, especially in New Mexico.
“I think because of our culture and our background in our history, there are a lot of people who are more willing to celebrate Día de los Muertos in more of a traditional way,” Mancini said.
The Historic Old Town Association is not the only group behind the celebration. San Felipe de Neri Catholic School and Escuela del Sol Montessori contribute to a community ofrenda in the gazebo. Additionally, merchants and homeowners build and place ofrendas in their portales, among other activities.
“This is the community’s event, as in, we’re planning some of the elements, but the event itself kind of gets created by the community,” Mancini said.
The San Felipe de Neri Church will serve as the starting place for the Dance of the Matachines and host a screening of “Coco” in the Hidden Courtyard.
Aside from the events, Mancini said the area is covered in decorations, including a statue of La Catrina, a tree of life, papel picado and marigolds.
“We want to give plenty of opportunities for people to come out and experience the decorations and the sculptures and the ofrendas,” Mancini said.
Mancini said that the event is to give the community a way to remember their loved ones.
“Not just in the light of morning,” he said, “but also in celebration and memory. Keeping them alive in our minds.”
