by Nick Sestanovich, Santa Cruz Sentinel
October 23, 2023
WATSONVILLE — Nov. 1-2 are typically designated as Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a traditional Mexican holiday that celebrates loved ones who have died.
Watsonville will be getting a head start with its 6th annual Día de Muertos celebration in downtown. Presented by the Watsonville Film Festival, it will once again provide an evening of reflection, dancing, food and all of the other hallmarks of the holiday.
Consuelo Alba, executive director of the Watsonville Film Festival, said the primary additions this year are the inclusions of two new traditional Mexican dances. One is the Xantolo dance from the Huasteca region of Veracruz, and the Danza de Diablos from Oaxaca. Both are traditionally performed in association with Día de Muertos.
“It’s very special to be able to share these dances with the community,” she said.
The event will also feature the work of two artists for the first time. The first is Ignacio Muñoz, a Cine se Puede fellow who is making a movie about Día de Muertos.
“He’s going to be sharing more about his project and asking the community to support his project as he starts production,” said Alba.
The second artist is Ildefonso Lopez, a painter from Oaxaca who will be creating a live painting.
The event will also feature face painting, sugar skull decorations, catrinas y catrines skeleton catwalks and performances by Folklorico Ollin, Raíces Mestizas, Mariachi Ilusión, Estrellas de Esperanza and White Hawk Aztec Dancers. Arte del Corazon will also be selling Día de Muertos artwork across the street from the City Plaza.
The centerpiece of the festival is the ofrendas, or altars, created by local organizations, where people will have the opportunity to place locally harvested marigolds, locally baked pan de muerto, letters and photos of loved ones, as is Día de Muertos tradition.
“When you see an ofrenda, it’s not just something that looks beautiful,” said Alba. “There is actually a story behind each one of them, so people have the opportunity to learn more about the loved ones that we lost.”
As with previous years, the festival will close with a screening of the 2017
Pixar film “Coco,” about a boy named Miguel who seeks to get in touch with his deceased great-great-grandfather through a realm called the Land of the Dead and encourage him to end his family’s ban on music.
Alba said the movie is always a hit.
“It’s part of our tradition now to share ‘Coco’ at the plaza,” she said. “All the families love to come with their little ones, some of them are dressed like ‘Coco’ characters, and there is a big singalong because we all know the songs and it’s such a beautiful film.”
Alba likes that the festival brings the traditions of Día de Muertos closer to home.
“It’s something that you would have to travel to Mexico to see it like the way we do it here in Watsonville,” she said.
Alba said it is more than a celebration.
“It’s a time to reflect about the cycle of life and death and honoring the ones that were important in our lives and honoring them as a community,” she said. “It’s a very beautiful and heartfelt event, and it inspires a lot of pride in our community.”
The event is from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday in the City Plaza, 358 Main St. All activities are free.