Día de los Muertos Family Festival

Enjoy FREE cultural festivities with activities for all ages! This annual tradition brings the community together to remember loved ones through joyful activities and mindful celebrations.

This centuries-old holiday from Mexico is now celebrated internationally, spreading vibrant cultural traditions such as sugar skulls, ballet folklorico, and fragrant ofrendas with it. The Grace’s annual festival includes crafts, calaveras, dance performances, face painting, and more! **All activities will be hosted at The Grace Museum along with our festival partners!

Dance Performance at 7:00 pm by Ballet Folklorico del Alvaro Muñoz Academy Storytime & Craft at 5:15, 5:45, 6:15, 6:45, 7:15, 7:45 with the Abilene Public Library Light Refreshments provided by H-E-B Abilene Make-n-Take Bags with Grain Theory Pinch Pots with Frontier Texas Sugar Skulls, Face Painting, Paper Marigolds, Nicho Frames, Monarch, and Alebrijes with The Grace Museum Magical Marigold Messages with the Spark Science Center Community Ofrenda – We want this to be reflective of our community, so please feel free to bring copies of photos of your deceased loved ones to add to the ofrenda throughout the month of October. ** PLEASE NOTE: Any photo or item placed on the ofrenda will be added into our Día de los Muertos collection, which will be included in the ofrenda each year. Plants and food are not allowed.** ** Grab dinner from Tacolote ** Yard signs from Card my Yard **Join us for an After Party at Grain Theory (202 Pine St #201) We are partnering with Grain Theory to offer a Festival After Party!

Stop by the brewery between 6:00pm – 9:00pm to enjoy extended festivities. From movie screenings of Coco and The Book of Life to beer specials all evening, this after party is for both kids and adults.

DJ Manteca will be playing tunes 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Coco and The Book of Life will be playing in Grain Theory’s event room (“The Blakeley”). First screening will be The Book of Life 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm.

Second screening will be Coco 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm. **HOLIDAY HISTORY & TRADITIONS Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday observed throughout Mexico and Central American and South American regions. The celebration emerged with Spain’s colonization of Mesoamerica as indigenous beliefs and practices adapted to Catholic ones.

On November 1 and 2 each year, families and friends joyfully celebrate their loved ones who have passed. Some people commune with their ancestors in a liminal space, while others enjoy an annual remembrance of their loved ones.

Common practices include setting up ofrendas – altars with the deceased’s photos and favorite things – and making the iconic sugar skulls that have become synonymous with the holiday. C alacas (decorative skeletons) adorn celebrations and Catrinas paint their faces as Día de los Muertos applies humor to what would otherwise be a rather solemn observance of the dead.

Event Sponsors This project is supported by a grant from the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council and HeARTS for the ARTS.