By: Fredwill Hernandez
In its 25th year celebrating and honoring the dead through one of Mexico’s oldest traditions, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), thousands gathered at Hollywood Forever Cemetery to take part in one of the most anticipated family-friendly events of the year in Los Angeles, which took place on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
After 25 years of vibrant celebrations, Hollywood Forever’s Día de los Muertos returned to its cherished classic format of a single-day event, inviting attendees to immerse themselves in the festivities from dawn to dusk as they entered the mystical realm of Tonas and Nahuales—this year’s theme centered on the spiritual guides and guardians important to indigenous Mesoamerican cultures and traditions.
The initiative, created by Tyler Cassidy and Deisy Marquez, along with co-founder Celine Mares, who envisioned the need to integrate this mystical custom into the context of the Forever cemetery, has become a yearly tradition thanks to meticulously curated events throughout the day.
The day featured a lively traditional procession at the home of Hollywood’s Immortals, accompanied by traditional Aztec blessings and performances by regional musical-dance groups, over ninety altars created by community members in honor of their ancestors and loved ones, hundreds of Aztec ritual dancers in full costume, four stages showcasing music and theatrical performances, an Art Exhibition in the Cathedral Mausoleum featuring works by Artist of the Year Antonio and Macedonia Fuentes, along with artists such as Ruben Santiago, Maricruz Sibaja, Gennaro Garcia, Carine Fabius, and Juaquin Trujillo. There was also a costume contest for best dressed, with a $1,000 prize for 1st place and $500 for 2nd place, a children’s area offering arts & crafts, puppet shows, and more, arts and crafts vendors, food vendors from around Los Angeles, and a presentation of Altar winners where judges selected the best altar in the following categories: Theme of Event, Traditional Altar, Contemporary Altar—with the best in each category winning $5,000.
As you stroll through the Hollywood Forever cemetery, you never know who will grab your attention with the dedication and creativity in their costumes, face paint, or altars, and it’s always fascinating to discover what brought them there.
“I’ve been attending the Day of the Dead celebration here for about eleven years, doing an altar for about eight. Day of the Dead was actually something we never celebrated; it’s not a tradition passed down by family, but there was something about the Catrinas that caught my attention about this event,” eloquently explained Morena Silva, behind altar 42: Martinez Family who resides in Pomona, CA, and recently lost a nephew she was raising a few weeks ago. “I came, I saw the altars, and then I lost quite a few family members and I didn’t really know how to cope with it, so creating the altar has also helped me cope with the grieving process.”
A young couple that also caught my attention was Josh and Maithilde Deitell and their six-and-a-half-month-old daughter. “We’ve been coming for the past eight years. This is our daughter’s first time. We live in Studio City, CA – we come to the cemetery quite a bit for different events; it’s like a special place, but Dia de los Muertos is something we do every year, no matter what. We always come – it’s really beautiful.”
The yearly event also boasts a great lineup of Latin acts, and this year was no different. The likes of Pedro Fernández, Los Lobos, duo Reyna Tropical, Ambar Lucid, El Santo Golpe, and Niko Rubio all performed at the main Muerte y Tradición stage – undoubtedly making their presence and performances felt and making the day even more memorable.
“Music kind of found me at a very young age. My mom and grandma both wanted to be singers. I started in La Voz Kidz when I was twelve; that was the beginning,” eloquently explained Niko Rubio, who also performed her singles “Trenta Mil Pies,” “Feliz por Conocerte,” and “Sirena,” a song that originally features Cuco. “As far as Dia de los Muertos goes: it’s a beautiful Mexican tradition that we have kept sacred, understanding that we’re having a relationship with our spirits and ancestors, and it’s just a beautiful moment that I will celebrate every year.”
Another highly anticipated performance was by East L.A. Latin rock legends Los Lobos, who never disappoint and sang classics like “La Venganza,” “La Bamba,” “Don’t Worry,” “Neighborhood,” and “Volver.”
“Dia de los Muertos: it’s a way of honoring our family that has passed. It’s a way to revisit and feel their presence. It’s a good thing that takes away the negative as you remember your parents, your grandparents, and brings back fond memories, turning it into a celebration,” eloquently explained Los Lobos guitarist David Hidalgo, after their electrifying performance on the Muerte y Tradición stage.