City Of Raleigh: Day Of The Dead Returns In Person At The City Of Raleigh Museum

Press release from the City of Raleigh:

Oct 20, 2021

The Friends of the City of Raleigh Museum and the El Quixote Festival are proud to announce that the Day of the Dead will return for two in-person events!

On Monday, November 1, at 7 p.m., join us for a roundtable discussion and demonstration for women in Raleigh on why this cultural tradition is much more than just calaveras, makeup, and votive candles. “What The Day of the Dead Means to Me” will feature Vice-Consul of Guatemala Cristina España, Consul General of Mexico in Raleigh Claudia Velasco Osorio, Cultural Producer Vicky Carrillo, Educator Adriana Ruiz, and Visual Artist Lety Alvarez. This event is part of the VOCES | VOICES series, which is part of the 7th annual El Quixote Festival.

As part of First Friday on November 5 from 6 to 9 p.m., Artist Studio Project and Friends of the City of Raleigh Museum invite you to join us for the 5th annual Day of the Dead at the City of Raleigh Museum, as part of the El Quixote Festival. This year, the 5th annual Day of The Dead Altar “voces” (voices) is dedicated to both women and those we have lost to the pandemic. Visual artist Lety Alvarez, along with a close group of friends, will create a wonderful tribute altar in honor of “amigas” (friendship). This group of women includes Vicky Carrillo, Angeles de la Torre, Claudia Casco, Claudia Apodaca, Gaby de la Torre, Rosy Roa, Ana Silvia Martinez, and Paola Tavernier.

There will be live musical performances from musicians such as Sophia M. Enriquez and Larry Bellorin. Sophia is a Chicana-Appalachian scholar, teacher, and musician. She currently teaches in the department of music and program for Latina/o studies at Duke University. While Larry Bellorin is the former President of the Musical Foundation “Casa Vieja,” Bellorin’s greatest wish is that the music of his country be respected, loved, and most importantly shared by others around the world. You can also see traditional Baile Folklorico from Doña Vicky Carrillo of Baile Folklorico Vicky Academy. Vicky’s main goal is to promote and rescue the traditional values of Mexican culture.

We will showcase Jose Manuel Cruz’s artwork in new exhibit, “Raleigh's Living Room: Rest, Reflect, and Respond” at the City of Raleigh Museum. This exhibit’s goal is to focus on art therapy and the need for self-care during these stressful times. Each month, the exhibit will feature a prompt, which ask visitors to reflect on a certain aspect of their lives and then draw a response on the dry-erase wall. The artist, Jose Cruz, has a unique style and loves incorporating various colors and mediums. As an art educator for over 25 years, he has been an advocate for the arts in education and enjoys bringing art to the communities. Cruz will be drawing live during the event.

These events are part of the “voces” (voices) series, which is part of the 7th annual El Quixote Festival. They are free and open to the public.

Masks will be required inside the museum.

This press release was produced by the City of Raleigh. The views expressed here are the author’s own.