Honor The Departed At Seattle Center Festál: Dia De Muertos

Transform your cultural awareness at Seattle Center Festál: Dia de Muertos - A Mexican Celebration to Remember Our Departed, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday Oct. 27 and 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 28, at Seattle Center Armory. Dia de Muertos keeps deeply rooted traditions alive with elaborate altars, face painting, sugar skulls and processions.

Dia de Muertos aims to preserve and pass this celebration to younger generation while being inclusive and proudly sharing traditions with the greater Seattle area. This annual gathering is a place for family and friends to honor the memories of loved ones with altar-offerings, music, dance, arts and crafts and beautiful ornamental displays.

Several demonstrations and workshops will be offered during the two-day festival. Create a sugar skull to give as a gift to the living or the dead or watch the creation of "tapete" or sand painting artwork display. See the intricacies of the "ofrendas," or altars that honor the deceased using calaveras, aztec marigolds and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, along with gifts left by vistors. Traditional foods such as tamales, sweet rolls topped with sugar known as pan de muerto and pozole will be available for purchase. Cooking demonstrations will also take place.

For more information and full festival schedule, visit: https://www.diademuertosenseattle.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/events/325006948266941/

Seattle Center Festál brings to light the culturally rich communities who shape the character of our region. Although the series began in 1997, its origins stretch back to when ethnic communities were planting their roots here. For many of them, Seattle Center served as a central place, where they could invite the public to join in their unique cultural expression. Some festivals were formed in response to wars or ethnic displacement and others to unite their communities, educate the public and dispel stereotypes. Now at 21 years, Festál producers are seeking to sustain their festivals with compelling programming that appeals to multiple generations.

Seattle Center Festál is a public program presented by Seattle Center in partnership with Dia de Muertos Committee affliated with Para Los Ninos de Highline. Admission is free-of-charge. For more information on this festival, visit diademuertosenseattle.org, and to learn more about this collection of ethnic cultural events and other Seattle Center public programming, visit www.seattlecenter.com or call 206-684-7200.

About Seattle Center Festál

This illuminating series of 23 ethnic cultural festivals on weekends throughout the year seeks to connect people in ways that build understanding, dispel stereotypes and generate pride among the generations who participate in these shared experiences. Seattle Center Festál is produced with the generous support of KUOW 94.9 Public Radio, Coca-Cola, Alaska Airlines, T-Mobile, 4Culture. the City of Seattle and Seattle Center Foundation.

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