Day of the Dead Celebration at Southern Utah University
Published: November 03, 2022 | Author: Emily Ronquillo | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah’s Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebration returns this Saturday, November 5 at the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA). The free public event commemorates the Mexican tradition of honoring loved ones who have passed away.
“We are proud to host southern Utah’s largest Day of the Dead event, giving us the opportunity to engage with our Hispanic community and share this holiday with a broader audience,” said Jessica Kinsey, SUMA Executive Director. “Every year our event grows and this year, I was blown away by all of the submissions to our community ofrenda. The ofrenda that has been on display at SUMA all week, honors more than 100 ancestors and loved ones with the opportunity for visitors to contribute additional names.”
The Day of the Dead celebration begins at Noon on November 5 and includes music, dance, food, art, and more. It will include a special performance by Mariachi Rosas Divinas, an all female Mariachi band from Texas and Southern Utah's Ballet Folklórico Herencia Hispana.
Día de los Muertos is formally celebrated from November 1st to November 2nd. Though there are many variations of Day of the Dead traditions, it is common to clean and decorate graves; build ofrendas (altars dedicated to loved ones); and honor the dead with calaveras (sugar skulls), cempazúchitl (aztec marigolds), and traditional foods and beverages. 
“We are more than musicians who play together, we are best friends and you can feel that in our music,” said Tabitha Barrientos of Mariachi Rosas Divinas. “We are so excited to share an interpretation of mariachi music that many haven’t experienced before.”
“Throughout the seven years we have celebrated the Day of the Dead at SUU, with this being the fifth at SUMA, we have striven to build bridges between our cultures,” said Junice Acosta-Martinez, SUU Associate Professor of Spanish. “This year with the theme of Honoring our Ancestors we continue finding common aspects that bring our communities and families together that allow us to remember our loved ones while acknowledging their legacy in our lives.”
This year’s event is made possible by the following partners and sponsors: The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts, Visit Cedar City Brian Head, Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, Southern Utah University, SUMA, SUU Languages & Philosophy, SUU Art & Design, and the Sorenson Legacy Foundation.
The event is free and open to the public.
Tags: SUMA Art and Design Languages and Philosophy Beverley Center for the Arts