Arcade Lane in Playhouse Village Will Be Transformed Into a Mexican Zócalo for Día de los Muertos Event

Continuing the cultural tradition of Día de los Muertos, Arcade Lane in Playhouse Village will transform into a Mexican Zócalo (public plaza) filled with music, dance and traditional altar exhibits this Sunday to celebrate the day of the dead.

Playhouse Village  is partnering with Mercadito Monarca Pasadena, an artisanal marketplace and gift shop at 696 E. Colorado Blvd., in this effort to invite families to Arcade Lane to enjoy arts and crafts activities, tour an altar exhibit in the neighborhood, shop our artisan market, play fun games, and more. Live performances will feature Aztec dance, ballet folklórico, mariachi and other Mexican-themed attractions.

Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, when family and friends of the departed gather to pay respects and to remember loved ones who have died. Often, the celebration take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed.

At Arcade Lane, Día de los Muertos isn’t on for just one day. It begins on Sunday, Oct. 16, and the displays – the ofrendas (altars honoring the dead), the artisan marketplace, and most of the live performances – will be available up to Nov. 4. 

Participants in the artisan marketplace will offer art, clothing, jewelry, books, handmade gifts, and so much more on sale. Some of those in the list include Art by Maqui, Balam Creations, Con Todo press, Daffodil Gems, La Vela Creations, Las Catrinas Decor, Shop Cultura, Viva las Calaveras, and of course Mercadito Monarca.

There will be plenty of hands-on activities for families, or you can paint your face to look like a “calaca” or skeleton. The altar installations themselves, created by artists and community partners in Pasadena, are works of art that incorporate objects important to lost loved ones, such as their favorite food, mementos, and pictures, along with sugar skulls, candles, flowers, and “papel picado” or paper cutouts.

On Sunday, the Día de los Muertos Festival opens at 12 noon and continues through 6 p.m.

To keep yourself updated about the events featured, visit https://playhousevillage.org/calendar-of-events/Día-de-los-muertos/ or follow the event on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/events/774302350508804.