Thousands of revelers flocked to Downtown Pine Avenue for the city’s annual Dia de los Muertos celebration, which included Aztec drummers, mariachi brass, ballet folklórico dancers and decorated parade floats that speckled the sky with confetti.
The parade made its way from Sixth Street on Pine Avenue through East Shoreline Drive to Rainbow Lagoon.
Parade participants embraced tradition with folklórico and Aztec dancers, Las Catrinas (skull symbolism associated with the holiday) and Mexican cowboys on adorned horses, but also added a modern touch with classic cars and a hip-hop float.
The spectacle ended at the Artes y Ofrendas festival where celebrants watched folklórico performances, painted their faces, ate cultural dishes and left mementos and other offerings to their loved ones at ofrendas, or altars.
Suzette Valdez, an aesthetician based in West Covina who was celebrating with her family and honoring her late Nana Valdez, wore sugar skull face paint, vibrant purple garments and flowers and a feather on her head. She said this holiday is one of her favorite occasions to do makeup.
“Now in the Mexican culture, we welcome other people to come join us,” said Valdez. “The fact that I’m able to celebrate that and show that to other people who aren’t in the Latin culture … means so much to me.”
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is celebrated Nov. 1 and 2. The first day is traditionally dedicated to honoring children who have passed, and the second day to adults.
