Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center To Host Virtual Dia De Los Muertos Festival

On November 1, 2020 the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center (SVCAC) will host an online Día De Los Muertos event on its virtual arts center platform, www.svvac.org. A combination of live interactive segments and recorded performances, this event will bring together artists, residents, and community organizations through a presentation of cultural traditions found in Día De Los Muertos celebrations. A community ofrenda (alter) will also be set up for public viewing at the Simi Valley Town Center.

SVCAC's Dia De Los Muertos virtual festival will include an opening ceremony from a local Danza Azteca group, Ballet Folklórico performances, and several artist-led workshops (in Spanish with English translation), a juried youth art exhibit, and a slide show of Las Catrinas from the community, the elegant skeleton often seen in Dia De Los Muertos imagery. The program will also include cultural dialogue in which community members will discuss the importance of Día De Los Muertos in their family traditions.

"Día de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead is a special holiday that celebrates the lives of loved ones who passed away," said Sara Moguel, a festival coordinator co-planner and founder of Ballet Folklórico Cielito Lindo de Simi Valley. "This year we will welcome their spirits with traditional dances, music, and a community ofrenda decorated with candles, marigold flowers, sugar skulls, and family photos."

This family-friendly event is free of charge and will take place primarily online on the Cultural Arts Center's virtual platform, www.svvac.org, from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The program will be recorded and available on demand beginning on November 2, 2020. For more information on how to participate in the events and to view the full program, please visit www.svvac.org/diadelosmuertos.