click to enlarge Skulls decorate Sculpture Park. Catrinas en Mi Ciudad
The Front Range is coming alive with Día de los Muertos events, from Catrin/Catrina costume contests to community ofrendas. Longmont has long been the stronghold of these traditions, but they’re making a comeback on Denver’s Northside , too. And even more Halloweeny ghost tours are getting in on the act.Here are the liveliest Day of the Dead activities:The Westwood Creative District is gearing up for Día de Muertos during its regular Third Friday festivities with the debut of, a community Day of the Dead art show that debuts in the Hecho en Westwood Galeria and runs through November 17, with a closing reception on November 15. And mark your calendars for November 1-3, when the Muertos en Westwood Street Festival will offer a different scene every day, including a Mexican cemetery reenactment complete with marigolds, candles and pan de muerto offerings. Get the details here Breck Create celebrates Día de los Muertos with a weekend art fiesta at various locations in the ski town’s arts district. It starts off with a reception and gallery talk with artists Vicente Telles, Santiago Vera Ovalle and Alberto Palma for; the exhibition includes works by Telles, a New Mexican santero who remixes the centuries-old craft to address updated themes, Ovalle’s ecologically themed encaustic paintings and Palma’s surreal politicized imagery. A candlelight vigil and the Aztec dancers Grupo Huitzilopochtli follow. The fun continues Saturday with afternoon cultural art workshops, live music and dance, a Mexican Cultural Center Market full of handmade imported crafts; in the evening, there’s a party with music, food and a community altar. Find a complete schedule here Catrinas en Mi Ciudad, an outdoor exhibit celebrating Día de Muertos, returns to Sculpture Park with the 2024 theme Monarcas (monarch butterflies). Larger-than-life art pieces by internationally acclaimed costume and set designer Ricardo Soltero will be showcased, accompanied by original pieces created by Cooperativa Jaén Cartonería from Mexico City. Art by local Latino artists will also be displayed. And there will be more: musical performances, photo opportunities, face painting, food vendors, live painting and sugar-skull decorating. Admission is free; learn more here El Día de los Muertos is a big deal in Longmont, with both the Longmont Museum and the Firehouse Art Center hosting art shows, altars and parties. The Catrina Ball is one of the biggest bashes, with live music by Nahucalli and SVVSD Mariachi with Julissa, Yeneli, Aangel, Sam, Manuel and Gabe; there will also be live performances by Bailes de Mi Tierra, Nueva Luna Folklorico and Nahucalli Mexican Folkloric Dance Troupe. Come dressed as a Catrina or Catrin, or get your face painted at the event. You can see the exhibit that opened earlier this month, and also bid on the Catrina Auction that benefits Art Attack, the bilingual art education program offered at Casa de la Esperanza, as well as the Mexican Artesania Residency at Longmont’s Title 1 Schools within the St. Vrain Valley School District. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 in advance here The Día de los Muertos celebration in Denver was first introduced at Pirate Gallery in the 1980s; CHAC Gallery and Museo de las Americas quickly followed with their own observances. Longtime Chicana artist Arlette Lucero has now brought theback to the Northside at BRDG Gallery Project, where it’s open through November 2. The Calaveras Masquerade Ball Fundraiser will up the action on October 25. Dress in your best as the living or dead and dance to the music of the Taco Cats, Cipriano and DJ Ramirez; there will also be food, drink, face painting and storytelling. Tickets are $39.39 for one or $55.20 for two; get them here The Denver Botanic Gardens presents Día de los Muertos at Civic Center: Remembering Our Ancestors Through Art, a free event that will honor our loved ones who have passed. Organized by local artist Cal Duran and Aliadxs LLC, the event will feature art installations; community altars; an arts and craft marketplace; family-friendly activities; community altars; performances of traditional music, dance, poetry and storytelling; healing arts practitioners; a Catrina/Catrín/Catrinx contest; and a procession that begins at the Welcome Arch at 6 p.m. Admission is free; learn more here The Chicano Humanities and Arts Council and the Armory are hosting an art show that’s already underway. The reception on October 26 will be a free community art celebration with Aztec dancing, face painting, sugar skulls, food trucks, cash bar and a free concert. Learn more at chacgallery.org “Dreams, tucked between the cover of being both asleep and awake. The thoughts, desires, and memories of those who have passed away linger on, reflecting the connections we share and the legacies they leave behind. This exhibit is a contemplation of life, mortality, and the enduring nature of dreams that transcend the boundaries of existence,” says Sonia Del Real, who curated this show with Shay Guerrero. After the opening reception, the show will be up through November 29; learn more here Rob and Tammy Yancey curated this exhibit, which showcases a diverse range of artistic expressions. Each piece reflects the personal stories, memories and emotions tied to those who have transitioned to the afterlife; taken together, the exhibit serves as a tribute to the richness of cultural traditions surrounding death and remembrance. After the opening reception, the show will be up through November 29; learn more here Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Bellota, which is throwing a family-friendly bash with sugar-skull painting, food and drink specials and mariachi music. Admission is free; learn more here The Chicano Humanities and Arts Council, Colorado’s oldest Latinx nonprofit art organization, hosts this fundraising gala marking CHAC’s 46th anniversary. Come with your face painted as a calavera (skeleton/skull) and dressed as a Catrin or Catrina in celebration of Día de los Muertos. The evening will feature dinner, entertainment, an art auction, the honoring of Lucille Ruibal Rivera’s legacy, and a recap of CHAC’s history and impact. Get tickets and more information here This grand finale to Longmont’s Día de Muertos celebration features genre-bending rock band iZCALLi, Aztec dancers Grupo Azteca Tlahuitzcalli and more performances that span the ages. Tickets are $18, or $15 for members; get them here