Oakland Cemetery is hosting its third annual Día de Muertos event this November. (Photo by Kristy Gomez) Credit: Photo by Kristy Gomez
Atlanta’s largest Día de Muertos celebration is set to return to Oakland Cemetery on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Presented by the Consulate General of Mexico in Atlanta, the Institute of Mexican Culture and the Office of the Government of Guanajuato in Georgia, the free, family-friendly festival invites Atlantans to take part in the Mexican holiday known as the “Day of the Dead,” a yearly tribute to loved ones who have passed on.
The third annual event will feature live music and dance performances, arts and craft activities for children, authentic Mexican cuisine, as well as a costume contest (with cash prizes for both kids and adults).
Visitors will also get the chance to explore mausoleums that are temporarily transformed into ofrendas (colorful altars decorated with flowers, candles and offerings of food and drink) in honor of the departed.
Dìa de Muertos originated several thousand years ago with the people of Aztec, Toltec, Purepecha and other Nahua cultures, according to an Oakland Cemetery release.
The Atlanta cemetery says that these pre-Hispanic cultures considered the act of mourning the dead “disrespectful” (as death was seen as a part of life’s continuum), and so they established Dìa de Muertos as a way to keep their deceased loved ones’ memories and spirits alive.
Attendees of the upcoming Day of the Dead event are encouraged to dress up in their most festive attire for the occasion.
Street parking for the festival is limited, and so guests are recommended to travel to the cemetery via carpool, bike, public transportation, rideshares or other alternate means.