Día de los Muertos: Honoring Our Ancestors
Saturday, November 4, 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. at Southern Utah Museum of Art
Southern Utah's largest Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration returns with music, dance, food, art, and more to honor our ancestors. Día de los Muertos is formally celebrated from November 1st to November 2nd in honor of loved ones who have passed away. Though there are many variations of Day of the Dead traditions, it is common to clean and decorate graves; build ofrendas (altars dedicated to loved ones); and honor the dead with calaveras (sugar skulls), cempazúchitl (aztec marigolds), and traditional foods and beverages.
Honoring Our Ancestors
This event is free and open to everyone to learn and celebrate the Mexican and Latin American holiday, Día de los Muertos.
Entertainment Schedule
12:15 p.m. — Mariachi Fuego at The Greenshow Stage
1:00 p.m. — Ballet Folkórico Herencia Hispana at The Greenshow Stage
1:30 p.m. — Latine Student Alliance Dance Performance at The Greenshow Stage
1:45 p.m. — Storytelling at The Seminar Grove
2:15 p.m. — Mariachi Fuego at The Greenshow Stage
3:00 p.m. — Ballet Folkórico Herencia Hispana at The Greenshow Stage
3:30 p.m. — Latine Student Alliance Dance Performance at The Greenshow Stage
3:45 p.m. — Storytelling at The Seminar Grove
4:15 p.m. — Ballet Folkórico Herencia Hispana at The Greenshow Stage
4:45 p.m. — Latine Student Alliance Dance Performance at The Greenshow Stage
5:00 p.m. — Mariachi Fuego at The Greenshow Stage
5:15 p.m. — Mesoamerican Altars: Indigenous Tradition in the Day of the Dead Lecture at The Charles Hunter Room in the Hunter Alumni Center
Community Ofrenda
Remember your loved ones through our Community Ofrenda (altar) on display from October 21 - November 4.
Email photos to sumamarketing@suu.edu by Sunday, October 15. You'll also have the opportunity to contribute a loved one's name to the altar during the event.
Special Performances
Celebrate with music and dance through performances by Mariachi Fuegeo, Southern Utah's Ballet Folklórico Herencia Hispana and SUU Latine Student Alliance.
Mariachi and Dance performances will take place on The Greenshow Stage.
Mesoamerican Altars: Indigenous Tradition in the Day of the Dead Lecture
Saturday, November 4, 5:15 p.m., Charles Hunter Room in the Hunter Alumni Center
The altar is a central part of the Latin American celebration of Day of the Dead and its modern-day interpretation has been heavily influenced by Mesoamerican Indigenous cultures of Mexico, including Mayan, Nahuatl, Zoque, and Zapotec. Learn how Indigenous traditions of southern Mexico are embedded in modern day practices surrounding the holiday with Esmeralda Torres, Zoque-Mayan Indigenous educator with the University of Utah and Artes de Mexico en Utah and noted advocate of Indigenous Latin culture.
This event is made possible in partnership with Artes de México en Utah.
Storytelling
Learn more about Día de los Muertos through stories told by Sigma Delta Pi - Spanish Honors Society, Literary Club Cazapalabras, and students from SUU's Spanish Department.
Art Activities
Create art with your family and friends through sugar skull cookies, paper marigolds, and Calavera Masks!
Additional activities will be provided by The Garth and Jerri Frehner Museum of Natural History and the SUU STEM Center.
Food and Drink
Try traditional Mexican foods associated with Día de los Muertos! Complimentary pan de muerto, prepared by El Bolson will be shared with guests.
Face Painting
Celebrate through the common tradition of skull face painting symbolizing the eternal cycle of life, from birth to death and then re-birth.
Complimentary face painting will be provided by Crazy Lady Balloons.
This event was made possible by the following partners and sponsors:
