Día de los Muertos Festival
Celebrate the 20th Annual Día de los Muertos Festival with community altars in the museum. Free and open to the public!
Join us at the Tacoma Art Museum for our annual Día de los Muertos Festival this year in partnership with Mi Centro, with several events planned through October and culminating in our celebration on Sunday, November 3. This cherished cultural event honors the traditional Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos, where families come together to remember and celebrate the lives of their departed loved ones.
Our festival features a rich tapestry of activities, including beautiful altars, live music, traditional dance performances, and hands-on art-making workshops. Visitors of all ages can immerse themselves in the colorful and meaningful traditions, exploring the history, significance, and artistry associated with this unique celebration.
Come and enjoy traditional foods, view stunning ofrendas created by local artists and community members, and learn about the customs that make Día de los Muertos a heartfelt and joyous occasion. Whether you are participating in the activities or simply observing the festivities, there is something for everyone to appreciate and enjoy.
Celebrate with us as we honor the past, embrace the present, and look forward to the future, creating lasting memories with family and friends at the Tacoma Art Museum’s Día de los Muertos Festival.
Check out the full schedule of events for Dia De Los Muertos here>>
Tapete
View the creation of a tapete by artist Fulgencio Lazo. Installation on October 31 and on view November 3. Fulgencio Lazo is an internationally recognized artist whose vibrant abstract paintings and sculptures are an exploration of cultural identity and the power of community. Over the last three decades, Lazo has worked to promote and grow the Latine artistic and cultural scene in Seattle. He has been an integral part of some of the region’s most iconic Latine traditions, including the Day of the Dead celebrations at Tieton, Seattle Art Museum, and Tacoma Art Museum. Lazo was the recipient of the 2018 Mayor’s Arts Award, and has exhibited his work in more than 50 solo exhibitions throughout the United States, Mexico, France, and Japan .
Community Altars
On view November 3.
We invite you to contribute to our community altars by bringing copies of photos of loved ones, LED candles, faux flowers, and other meaningful ofrendas. We encourage participants to bring objects that hold personal or sentimental value but do not carry significant monetary worth, as they will be displayed in a public, communal space for all to see and appreciate.
Community Exhibition: Recuerdame
Recuerdame is an exhibition of works by local Latine & Indigenous artists and is on view from November 3.
About Día de los Muertos: Known in English as Day of the Dead, this life-affirming celebration of the eternal cycle of life has been observed for centuries. Day of the Dead combines ancient and colonial traditions, folk customs, and spiritual beliefs. Celebrated in Mexican and Latin American communities on November 1 and 2, Dia de los Muertos is a powerful, symbolic way to honor relatives and friends who have died.
Traditionally, families assemble altars or ofrendas, in their homes laden with offerings of food and drink to nourish the spirits on their long journey back home. Flowers, candles, clay figurines, sugar skeletons with the names of the deceased, and personal messages to the spirits are placed on the altars.
Tacoma Art Museum’s annual Dia de los Muertos Festival has grown over the years, bringing together community organizations, schools, families, and individuals to create altars, celebrate, and share.
Conocida en inglés como Day of the Dead, esta celebración del eterno ciclo de la vida se ha llevado a cabo durante siglos. El Día de los Muertos combina tradiciones antiguas y coloniales, costumbres populares y creencias espirituales. El Día de los Muertos, que se celebra en las comunidades mexicanas y latinoamericanas los días 1 y 2 de noviembre, es una forma poderosa y simbólica de honrar a los parientes y amigos que han fallecido.
Tradicionalmente, las familias montan altares repletos de ofrendas de comida y bebida en sus hogares para nutrir a los espíritus en su largo viaje de regreso a casa. En los altares se colocan flores, velas, estatuillas de arcilla, calaveritas de azúcar con los nombres de los difuntos y mensajes personales para los espíritus.
El Festival Anual del Día de los Muertos del Museo de Arte de Tacoma ha crecido a lo largo de los años, congregando a organizaciones, escuelas, familias e individuos de la comunidad para crear altares, celebrar y compartir.
Tacoma Art Museum’s Día de los Muertos festival is generously supported by Tacoma Creates, ArtsFund, Tacoma Events and Venues and our wonderful Tacoma Art Museum Members.