Past Day of the Dead Celebrations for 2019

You may find similarities between Halloween and the traditional Mexican festival known by the name “Día de los Muertos,” or Day of the Dead. But the latter is a celebration where revelers pray for their lost loved ones and wish for them a safe journey in the afterlife. Just like every year, the celebrations were held on 2^nd Nov in 2019, in many places in the US.

Those who observed the day made their own private altars where they honored their dead loved ones with many gifts, often the ones that were the favorites of the dead. The gifts also include sugar skulls, marigolds, food, and drinks. Just like it was seen this year, the celebrations are becoming more vibrant in recent times.

San Francisco

Día de los Muertos is been celebrated with great revelry since the beginning of the 70s decade, especially in the Mission district – a colorful neighborhood. Once again the public gathered for the annual Festival of Altars bringing with them candles, flowers, mementos of their loved ones, etc. to keep on ofrendas that are adorned with Mexican folk art. The gathering began at 4 pm in the Potrero Del Sol Park.

Then a candlelight procession began at 7 pm at the edge of Bryant and 22^nd streets and ended at the displayed altars. This part of the celebrations were alcohol free and yet managed to attract nearly 15,000 people on the streets, all wearing colorful and articulate Day of the Dead attire.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

It has been just 10 years of the Día de los Muertos celebrations, yet the festival has now become one of the biggest in the country. Even this year, the afternoon went in puppet making, traditional Mayan and Aztec dance performances, ofrenda admiring, sugar skull face painting, etc. then began the “Skeleton Procession” at 6:30 pm from the Huizenga Plaza.

More than 50 giant puppets and 2,000 skeletons were a part of this vibrant procession with some puppets reaching a height of 18 feet! This led thousands of revelers along the Riverwalk of Fort Lauderdale and on the streets filled with mariachi bands, food trucks, etc.

San Antonio, Texas

The Day of the Dead celebrations came early this year in this city which is only about 3 hours away from the US-Mexico border. The “Muertos Fest” was held on 26 and 27 October at the grounds of the popular cultural center of Hemisfair. Like every year, there were live music and poetry performances, puppet parades, craft-making workshops, the displays of original folk art and traditional altars, and much more.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Usually, the Day of the Dead events happen over several weeks of October and November, but the 2019 parade celebrations were postponed. The reason cited by the organizers was that it became too popular to sustain! Although The Muertos y Marigolds Parade committee wanted to resolve issues this year with the increasing size of the parade, but the usual celebrations took place. People dressed as calaveras, floats decked with marigolds, lots of music, food, and altars; all of it was present at the festivities.

San Diego, California

If you want to witness the ideal Día de los Muertos celebrations without going to Mexico, then you should be in this city. This year the events took place on November 2^nd and 3^rd in the Old Town area of the city. The parade was on Saturday only and began at 5 pm. There were costume contests, Aztec dance performances, face paintings, life-sized skeleton displays and many more such activities in the Old Town Day of the Dead festival in Park Plaza.

Image Reference: https://matadornetwork.com/read/us-cities-day-of-the-dead/