Overview:
Denver communities are marking Día de los Muertos with ofrendas, processions, cultural events and civic engagement across the city.
Candles, flowers, photographs and favorite foods are appearing on altars across Denver as families prepare to honor loved ones during Día de los Muertos. The Mexican tradition brings communities together to remember those who have died.
“It’s a tradition in Mexican culture that has been around for a really long time and celebrates our ancestors,” said Jennifer Arreola, an organizer of Nuestro Poder Nunca Muere. “Our belief is that in these last few days of October and early days of November, our loved ones’ souls come to visit.”
Denver’s celebrations range from intimate family gatherings to larger public events. The second annual Nuestro Poder Nunca Muere, hosted by COLOR Latina, was held Oct. 27 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Montbello FreshLo Hub, 12444 E. Albrook Drive. The event combined Día de los Muertos traditions with civic engagement ahead of Colorado’s Nov. 3 general election.
Arreola said the gathering gives Mexican families an opportunity to maintain traditions that can become harder to preserve across generations and after immigration.
“In this community, in Denver, there are a lot of Mexican immigrants who sometimes leave their traditions in Mexico,” Arreola said. “Being able to bring this with them and being able to celebrate with a community in the United States really helps people feel more at home and find a place where they can celebrate with other community members.”
The event also included music, food and opportunities to learn about voting. Paul Lopez, another organizer, said the election gave this year’s celebration additional urgency.
“Too many of us didn’t participate in voting last year, and look where we are now,” he said. “People are being torn from their careers, their families, their home.”
Lopez urged people who feel disconnected from politics to participate rather than sit out the election.
“You cannot be neutral in American politics,” he said. “Not voting to be neutral, thinking it doesn’t matter, thinking that you’re just one person and it won’t count, claiming that the system is corrupt, is just as bad as those who vote against us.”
Organizers said combining voter outreach with Día de los Muertos was intended to connect civic participation with a broader effort to preserve culture and strengthen community ties. Arreola said public celebrations can be especially meaningful for first-generation Mexican families trying to maintain connections to traditions practiced by their parents and grandparents.
Día de los Muertos celebrations continue across Denver this weekend. Denver’s oldest Día de los Muertos celebration returns Sunday, Nov. 1, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Troy Chavez Memorial Peace Garden. A candlelight procession will leave for La Raza Park at 5 p.m., followed by festivities at the park, near West 38th Avenue and Navajo Street, until 8 p.m.
Other Día de los Muertos events are also taking place across the metro area. The Denver Performing Arts Complex is hosting “Catrinas en Mi Ciudad,” a free installation in the Galleria featuring large-scale Día de Muertos artwork, along with “AfterLight,” an immersive nighttime experience running Oct. 30 through Nov. 2. The Colorado Symphony will also present a family-focused Día de los Muertos concert at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at Boettcher Concert Hall.
Farther north, Thornton will host its 10th annual Día de los Muertos celebration from noon to 5 p.m. Nov. 1 at McAllister Park Center, 750 W. 96th Ave., with music, dancing, a community altar and family activities. Across the metro area, the celebrations offer different ways to mark the holiday, from family altars to public processions and community gatherings.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to bring people together, to spread awareness and to preserve the colorful culture nestled into our colorful Colorado,” Arreola said.
