Dia De Muertos Festivities To Feature Over 80 Intricate Catrinas

El Paso Museum of Art debuts its Catrina Village of over eighty intricate Catrinas – the centerpiece to a day's long celebration for Dia de Muertos this upcoming weekend.  

The El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA) has commissioned over 80 Catrinas intricately handcrafted for their upcoming Dia de Muertos / Day of The Dead festivities.  

Over this past weekend, the EPMA debuted the Catrina Village and hosted a Catrina workshop where museum members and their families could paint and decorate their own Catrina figurine, inspired by the new exhibit.

The Catrina Village consisting of over 80 Catrinas, has been handcrafted by an artisan collective from Michoacán, Mexico. Some of the Catrina's are made out of wood, others of clay, but all are distinct, beautifully and meticulously beaded, and handpainted.

While the Catrina Village displays more than 80 plus dolls, there's a handful of life-sized ones too. The artists also made about 300 small clay Catrina's given to museum members to decorate during the weekend's workshop.

El Pasoans will have a chance to peruse the Catrina Village during the Dia De Muertos Celebration hosted by the El Paso Museum of Art and partners on Saturday, October 23. After the weekend's festivities, The Catrina Village exhibit will continue to be on display through Wednesday, November 3, where soon after, it will be taken down and stored.

Schedule of Events:

Celebrate Día de Los Muertos with performances, live music, and entertainment, hands-on activities, artist and farmers markets, themed streetcar rides, a community altar, food trucks, and a parade in the heart of downtown El Paso.

Performers Include:

• Matachines Danza Maria de Guadalupe
• UTEP Percussion
• Cuahutli Folklorico Group (Champion Studio)
• Grupo Folklorico Valle Del Sol
• Lowriders

Community Altar:

• Attendees are encouraged to bring LED lights, artificial flowers, photos, and remembrances of loved ones to be placed at the community altar at the El Paso Museum of History that will be on display throughout the Dia De Muertos Celebration.

Dress Up:

• Visitors can dress up by donning Día de Los Muertos costumes, and Calavera face paint to revel in the celebration.

Downtown Art & Farmers Market / Artisanal Vendors:

• El Pasoans will find two markets, including the Downtown Art and Farmers Market set up at the El Paso Convention Center Plaza and Artisanal vendors at Cleveland Square Park from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Food Trucks:

• Visitors will find plenty of food trucks lined up in the pedestrian walkway between the Convention Center and the ballpark.

Parade:

• The Dia De Muertos parade will feature local performers, community floats, and larger-than-life mojigangas set to begin at 4 p.m.
• The parade will begin at the corner of San Antonio Street and Santa Fe Street, headed north on Santa Fe, then right on Missouri Street, then turning right on N Oregon Avenue, right on West Mills Ave, and concludes on Henry Trost in front at El Paso Museum of Art.

El Paso Streetcar:

• After the parade, attendees can ride the streetcar with La Calaca Maldonado, a storyteller in the traditional Catrina costume. Streetcar service begins at 6 p.m.

Drop-In Activities:

• El Paso Museum of Archaeology will host Die Cut Sugar Skulls from 12 p.m.  – 4 p.m.
• El Paso Museum of Art will host a Monarch Butterflies Workshop from 12 p.m.  – 4 p.m.
• El Paso Museum of History will host Make-and-Take Calavera masks, paper marigolds, mini-altars, and alebrije standee from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

There will be plenty to see and do at the upcoming Dia De Muertos Celebration in the Downtown Arts District for one day only, from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 23, 2021.