Día de los Muertos still won’t be the same this year in the Valley
While the COVID-19 pandemic canceled all in-person Día de los Muertos celebrations in 2020, this year’s events to celebrate and honor the departed ones still won’t be completely back to prior pandemic celebration around the Valley.
Some places like Armona there will be an in-person event. In other places like Modesto, the event was postponed again. In Visalia, organizers opted for something virtual.
The Kings Cultural Center, located on 14054 Front St. in Armona, will host its 8th annual Día de los Muertos celebration on Sunday (Oct. 24) from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We canceled due to the pandemic last year,” said Sophia Medina, event coordinator for the Kings Cultural Center.
Medina said as the majority of the community in Kings County gets vaccinated, they opted to host the event in-person. Most of the event will take place outdoors, with indoor displays of altars and ofrendas.
“We’re still being proactive in recommending that people wear masks and stay safe,” Medina said, adding that they are going to have the organization Valley Voices with a booth doing COVID-19 testing as well as the Kings County Public Health Department. “So that’s one of the things that we have going for us in regards to keeping people safe.”
Medina said the performances of folklórico dancers, Aztec dancers, mariachi, la Catrina de Visalia, as well as the location of the vendors and food booths will be outdoors as in previous years. Front Street will be closed to traffic.
This year there will be a bigger collaboration with other folkloric groups, including dancers from Hanford, Clovis, Coalinga, Selma and Visalia, plus flamenco dancers and an all-female mariachi.
Something different this year, Medina said, is that they won’t have their usual face-painting artist attending because they are recommending their children who are performing to wear masks.
“We’re definitely excited to bring it back this year. And people can expect great entertainment,” Medina said.
Something special about this year performance is that the Kings Cultural Center expanded its folklórico class to adults this year with parents and grandparents performing.
“So, it’s really cool that we get to see the different generations coming together,” Medina said, adding that the event will bring generations together to learn about traditions and the culture of México.
In Visalia, the Tulare County League of Mexican-American Women opted to cancel in-person celebration this year again and go with a virtual altars contest for Día de los Muertos instead for the second year in a row.
“We’re not doing anything in-person this year due to COVID. We’re just taking precautions again, but we are going virtual” said Elena Nava, president of the TCLMAW.
Last year’s virtual altar contest has been continued this year. The contest is open for Tulare County residents, who can submit photos of their altars to tclmaw@yahoo.com by 3 p.m. on Oct. 31. Winners, which will be chosen based on creativity, tradition and presentation will be announced on Nov. 1.
Nava said besides the contest, the organization will be doing a virtual event with La Catrina de Visalia where she will be providing history and tradition of Día de los Muertos as well as how to build an altar. The date for the event is still being determined.
Rebecca Harrington, organizer of the Día de los Muertos in downtown Modesto, said COVID-19 also played a role in canceling the event this year again.
Harrington said they have planned on moving the event to Lakewook Cemetery in Hughson and was scheduled for Oct. 30 before making the thought decision to cancel the event as COVID-19 cases and deaths in Stanislaus County started to increase again.
Harrington said she started doing the event in the past to “educate the community and to keep our traditions alive.”
The celebration in Modesto in 2019 attracted between 12,000 to 15,000 people, said Harrington said, adding that it takes a lot of volunteers to make the event a success.
Because of the magnitude of the event, Harrington said many of the volunteers were not available or many didn’t feel comfortable doing the event in-person.
Nava and Harrington hope to have in-person celebration for Día de los Muertos for 2022.
Other ways to celebrate Día de los Muertos around the Valle.
Arte America:
Día de Muertos Altares Exhibition, until Nov. 7, 2021. 1630 Van Ness, Fresno. Masks required. Bring proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative covid test result within the last three days. Gallery hours: Thursdays and Fridays from 2 to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Cala Gala, Día de Muertos Festival & Exhibit, Saturday, Oct. 30 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1630 Van Ness, Fresno. Info: www.arteamerica.org
Kings Cultural Center:
Día de los Muertos Paint Night, Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m. at 14054 Front Street in Armona. Cost $15/canvas. Info: (559) 589-6255.
Hanford Día de los Muertos by Hanford Multicultural Theater Company
Hanford Día de los Muertos at the Hanford Mall, 1675 W. Lacey Blvd, Hanford, starting at 4 pm. With special guest La Catrina de Visalia, face painting, mariachi and community altars. Info: (559) 997-3838
Hanford Parks and Community Services Department
Dia de los Muertos Zumbathon, Friday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Hanford Civic, 400 N. Douty, Hanford. Cost: $10 advance, $15 day of event, $5 12 and under. Info: (559) 585-2525.
Esta historia fue publicada originalmente el 19 de octubre de 2021, 11:31 p. m..
