This year’s Día de los Muertos event in Lawrence will serve as a tribute to nourishers and celebrate ways that we continue to nourish one another, according to organizers.
Somos Lawrence, a grassroots organization that focuses on outreach and advocacy for Spanish-speaking residents of Douglas County, and Lawrence Percolator, a nonprofit art space that works to create a supportive environment for the arts, host the annual event.
This year, they’re also partnering with Sunrise Project, a nonprofit that provides space to build and strengthen community connections through food.
“Nourishers promote our growth, and sustain communities through varied forms of nurture,” organizers wrote in a news release. “We honor those who are no longer with us, and who have contributed to our nourishment: loved ones who broke bread with us, and those who contribute to our ability to nurture.”
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Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a time when communities and families set up ofrendas, or altars, that honor their ancestors and loved ones. Rooted in Indigenous Mexican culture, the holiday allows people to commune with their deceased loved ones and honor their memories with celebrations.
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Internationally renowned artists Juan Hernández and Tonatiuh Hernández, who have participated in previous community workshops and events in Lawrence, will co-design this year’s main ofrenda.
Arts and crafts workshops ahead of the event are scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. at Danielsan Electric, 900 New Jersey St. in East Lawrence on the following days:
• Monday, Oct. 26
• Wednesday, Oct. 28
• Friday, Oct. 30
• Saturday, Oct. 31
The community celebration is set for 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1 at John Taylor Park, 200 N. Seventh St. in North Lawrence. Hot chocolate, tamales and Mexican sweet bread will be served, according to the release.
Community members can begin setting up altars at 9 a.m. that day.
“(E)veryone is welcome through the day to drop by, and contribute with flowers, notes, artwork, pictures of our loved ones, and other meaningful offerings and mementos,” according to the release. “We ask that people refrain from bringing valuables due to the large scale of the event, and our inability to assure the return of all items.”
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