Downtown Redwood City welcomed big crowds for the traditional Día de los Muertos celebration Sunday, Nov. 7, a colorful and festive time for remembering loved ones who have died.
Sponsored in a partnership with the San Mateo County History Museum, the Friends of the Redwood City Library and Casa Circulo Cultural, the Day of the Dead event had to be held “virtually” last year because of Covid-related restrictions. This year’s celebration paid a special tribute to all loved ones lost as a result of the pandemic.
Families and others who thronged Courthouse Square got to see tribute altars inside the museum as well as on the sidewalk and enjoy music and traditional dancers. Many of the altars were decorated with vibrant orange flowers, and votive candles provided illumination for portraits of the family members who were being honored.
At one end of Broadway, vintage cars were on display, some with ceremonial altars in open trunks. Characters elaborately costumed in black strolled among the crowds gathered to watch the entertainment or lined up at food and information booths. Climate was among the sponsors, and representatives were on hand to meet attendees and distribute copies of the November issue.
Organizers of the event say that although losing someone is undeniably a somber and life-changing experience, the Day of the Dead festival provides people with the opportunity to rejoice in the “living memories of their loved ones.”
Photos by Jim Kirkland
