MECA's annual Día de Muertos Festival will run Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Historic Dow School at 1900 Kane St. in Houston's Old Sixth Ward. The free event will include community-created ofrendas, artist and artisan vendors, festival food, children's art activities and performances on three stages. Visitors can see altars that honor loved ones with photographs, flowers, candles, artwork and personal belongings.
The festival is part of a month-long series of events that began in October. Other events in the series include Monarchs & Marigolds, held with the Houston Botanic Garden, Noche de Ofrendas and a community run with Freaks Run Club.
Armando Silva, MECA executive director, said the celebration gives younger generations a chance to learn about their cultural traditions. He said it also welcomes people from different backgrounds to understand the meaning of the holiday. "We see families who have celebrated Día de Muertos for generations, but we also see people who are experiencing these traditions for the first time," Silva said.
Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican and Latin American celebration honoring deceased loved ones. Houston's sixth annual Día de los Muertos Parade and Festival, presented by Reliant, is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at Sam Houston Park.