Gloria Molina Grand Park to Host the 12th annual Downtown Día de los Muertos

Gloria Molina Grand Park, powered by The Music Center, will host the 12th annual Downtown Día de los Muertos, a 12-day public art installation in Downtown L.A. that honors Angelenos' longtime customs and traditions of the “Day of the Dead” celebration. Beginning Saturday, October 21, through Thursday, November 2, 2023, the park for everyone will be a unified space where visitors can explore to pay reverence at 19 altars (known as ofrendas) created by professional artists and local organizations. Parkgoers can also contribute to the annual community altar—the 20th ofrenda—which will honor the victims of gun violence in Monterey Park and those who perished in Maui's wildfires.

Curated by local multimedia artist and educator Consuelo G. Flores, the altars are designed to reflect the community spirit. Park visitors will encounter tributes to multicultural ancestors; members of the lowrider, LGBTQ+ and Ranchero communities; and beloved family pets. There will be two distinct altars dedicated to honoring Gloria Molina, the iconic figure of Los Angeles, in recognition of both her personal relationships and her impactful public work. One of these altars will be lovingly created by her family.

“The 12th anniversary of Gloria Molina Grand Park's Downtown Día de los Muertos celebrates the communities that helped build the park into L.A.'s central gathering place. This year we are also paying tribute to former Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina with two altars in her honor. This park exists because of her tenacity to see this beautiful green oasis come alive to serve all in L.A. County,” said Robert Gonzalez, director of Gloria Molina Grand Park. “I invite all Angelenos and visitors to pay their respects to former Supervisor Gloria Molina, as well as all our loved ones who have passed, by contributing to the community altar. Celebrating lives make us stronger.”

On opening day of Gloria Molina Grand Park's Downtown Día de los Muertos (Saturday, October 21, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.), Grupo Folklorico Huitzillin and Mariachi Arcoiris de Los Angeles will perform in the park at the Fountain Overlook; LA Opera Connects, the educational arm of The Music Center's resident company partner, LA Opera, will present tenor Jonathan Lacayo, who will perform an array of songs celebrating Día de los Muertos. Additionally, Angelenos and visitors can create their own mini altars and cookie sugar skulls to take home. The opening day of Gloria Molina Grand Park's Downtown Día de los Muertos coincides with the highly popular DTLA event, Grand Ave Arts: All Access, in which the park is participating.

As a grand finale to the 12-day Gloria Molina Grand Park's Downtown Día de los Muertos, the park will partner with GuadaLAjara Film Festival (GLAFF) to proudly present a special screening of the 1960 film Macario, directed by Roberto Gavaldón, on Thursday, November 2, at 7:30 p.m. in Block Three of the park between Hill Street and Broadway. The community is invited to the free screening that celebrates the legends of Latin American cinema; free tickets are available at glaff.org/program. G­­­LAFF is dedicated to identifying, nurturing and empowering Latin American and BIPOC filmmakers across generations, with a focus on fostering creativity and building bridges between the U.S. and Latin America. More details about special guests and activities related to the film screening will be announced soon.

This year's altars will be created by individual artists, local organizations and community partners, including: Antioch University Los Angeles; Association of German Shepherd Rescuers; Dulce Stein International; La Familia Flores (a.k.a. The Stax Family); The Family of Gloria Molina; Generaciones en Acción; LADWP Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) & The American Society of Civil Engineers of Los Angeles (ASCE); Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles; The Norte Family; Monica Perez; Office of Supervisor Hilda Solis; OZO CommUNITY, Plus; Ester Petschar; Plaza de la Raza conceived by artist Jose Lozano; Rose Portillo; Antonio Rael; Rock Rose Gallery; Somos LOUD; and The Wall Las Memorias.

Gloria Molina Grand Park's Downtown Día de los Muertos is supported by the California Arts Council, a state agency; community arts activities are proudly presented by UCLA Health.