“I would see people bringing food and flowers to their loved ones and setting up ofrendas. I didn’t start celebrating personally until 11 years ago when my grandparents passed. I set up an ofrenda for them usually.” El Salvadorian native Ana Lopez, states when asked about her traditions for Día de Los Muertos. Día de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday that many Hispanics around the globe celebrate. 

November 1st and 2nd are both Día de Los Muertos, but different things are celebrated on those days. November 1st is called Día de Los Angelitos, or Day of the Little Angels. Some places will also call this day Día de Los Inocentes, or Day of the Innocents. This day is used to celebrate children who have passed on and remember them. It is believed that the spirits of the children who have passed return at midnight on this day. November 2nd is Día de Los Muertos. Celebrations on this day are usually more lively and tend to involve alcohol, as it is the day they remember the adults who have passed. Even though Día de Los Muertos is celebrated on two days, celebrations are held throughout the week leading up to the holiday.

This year, celebrations were held in Minneapolis, MN as early as October 19th. The most popular celebrations in Minnesota are held in St. Paul and Minneapolis. According to the website Meet Minneapolis: City by Nature, celebrations in the city were held at places such as Nico’s Tacos and Tequila Bar, the Minnesota Latino Museum, the Weisman Artman Museum, the Global Midtown Market, The Hook and Ladder Theatre & Lounge, and other places downtown. One large event was hosted at El Colegio High School. They showed off ofrendas, or altars, made by the students and community members. 

One of the biggest celebrations in the United States is held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This year they celebrated from October 25th to November 3rd. They held many activities for everyone to participate in. Old Town Albuquerque shows all the events that were held, like “Family Day,” where movies like “Coco” and “The Book of Life” were projected onto a big screen for families to watch. Another fun event they had was the “Catrina Procession,” which gave people the opportunity to dress in traditional Día de Los Muertos attire and parade through the streets, showing off the many different outfits and designs. There were also daily activities such as “The Marigold Mile,” where everyone could see the thousands of marigolds that lined the streets, or “The Ofrenda Tour,” where people would display incredibly elaborate ofrendas for all to see. Similar to El Colegio High School, they also created one large grand ofrenda to which everyone could contribute. It was also decorated by students from San Felipe de Neri Catholic School and Escuela de Sol Montessori. 

Oaxaca (Pronounced Wa-ha-kah), Mexico holds the biggest celebration for Día de Los Muertos. Mexico is the country that has the most celebrations for this holiday, with only a few changes here and there around the country. They only celebrate November 1st and 2nd, but typically the celebration starts the night of October 31st when the spirits return at midnight. 

While there are many celebrations inside and outside of the United States, there are a few celebrations that take place in Cannon Falls. Ana Lopez, a Cannon Falls resident, grew up in El Salvador, where she saw authentic celebrations of Día de Los Muertos. She states “We celebrated on November 2nd, and people wouldn’t go to work since it was such a big thing. Everyone would go to the cemetery, and they were always packed.” Now that she lives in the United States, she creates an altar for them with candles, and flowers surrounding it. She says “When the day comes I usually set up their favorite foods for them. Also eat some of the foods for them, like in their honor. I like to remember them and look at their pictures. My mom will send me pictures of their grave back home in El Salvador once they go visit them and decorate it.”

Born in Mexico, Sarah Tirado grew up celebrating Día de Los Muertos. When asked how she celebrated, she states “What my family does for the day of the death is a tradition where we welcome back the souls of our deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food and drinks. This is a three-day celebration where at home, we will put up an altar with our relative’s photo and flowers, etc. The first day is to remember unborn children. The second day is to remember deceased children, and the third day is to remember deceased adults.”

Día de Los Muertos is a holiday that is celebrated in many places, whether it’s in Cannon Falls, or Oaxaca, Mexico. This holiday is important to many people. It lets people remember those who have passed and celebrate them. It’s a large holiday for many and one that touches many hearts. It’s important to recognize this holiday because it reminds people that death is just as important as life.