The City of Decatur, Ala. is pleased to announce its inaugural Día de los Muertos celebration! Día de los Muertos, also known as “The Day of The Dead” or “All Souls Day,” is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration. The holiday is based on a blend of Spanish culture, Mesoamerican rituals, and European religion. It is celebrated each year from October 31- November 2.
You may be familiar with Dia de los Muertos as it was chronicled in the Disney film “Coco.” The Princess Theater will be screening this touching homage to the holiday for Decatur City School students on November 2 at 9 am and 12 pm, with a 7 pm showing open to the public.
According to tradition, the gates of heaven open on the Day of the Dead for spirits to rejoin their families for 24 hours.
As part of the celebration, students across 12 Decatur City Schools have received generous sponsorship from BUNGE to create Día de los Muertos art projects. Select projects will be on display at the Alabama Center for the Arts.
On November 2, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm, the Downtown Decatur Redevelopment Authority, The Downtown Decatur Merchants Association, Decatur/Morgan County Tourism, The Carnegie Visual Arts Center, Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, and other civic organizations will be hosting a Día de los Muertos celebration on 2nd Avenue in downtown Decatur. Admission is free. The street will be closed to allow for a colorful evening of music, authentic food, art, children’s activities, costumes, face painting, and a teen dance competition! Pan de Muerto (sweet bread) and Champurrado (hot chocolate) will be available for the first 300 people in attendance.
