Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead is a Mexican celebration of life for loved ones who have died.
The blend between the Catholic and Indigenous tradition serves as a way to remember and honor the souls of family members through traditional food, music and photos.
This year will be Dayton’s 13th celebration of Dia de los Muertos, it’s the longest running celebration of its kind in Ohio, according Gabriela Pickett, the American Specialist at the Dayton Metro Library. Pickett has also helped organize the parade in previous years.
Pickett said recognizing the tradition is the library's way to welcome Dayton’s diverse hispanic community.
“You and I could be very different. We can be on opposite sides of the political spectrum or religious or ideologies, but we both lost a loved one that we want to remember. And that is the thing that brings people together.” Picket said.
She added the library welcomes anyone to celebrate the tradition while also recognizing its significance and origins.
“Celebrating the day of the dead, the way we are celebrating it, is sending the message to the Hispanic community that they, the Metro Library and all of its branches are for everyone regardless of national origin or anything else,” Pickett said. And as long as we follow the certain elements that should be there, we are happy to share that tradition with the world.”
The main library branch will have an altar where anyone can bring a photo or meaningful item to remember a loved one.
There will also be a parade and a concert at Cooper Park just behind the main library branch this Saturday.
The schedule for the events are below:
- Día De Los Muertos Parade — Saturday, October 22, 12-5 pm
Pre-parade festivities will begin in the northeast corner parking lot of Fifth Street and Wayne Avenue at 12 pm, with the parade beginning at 2 pm. The parade will travel through the Oregon District to the Main Library, where the celebration will continue in Cooper Park.
Raye Zaragoza: A Concert Celebration
Saturday, October 22, 3-4:30 pm
Main Library, Eichelberger Forum
Alejandro Figueroa is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.
