What is Dia de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos is a vibrant, festive traditional celebration of remembrance in the cultures of Latino people around the world. At the exhibit, you’ll learn about this rich cultural event, which is a blend of Aztec traditions of remembering the dead and the Catholic tradition of celebration of All Saints Day and All Souls Day tradition brought by the Spanish conquistadors. We invite all of our Valley's cultures to share their traditions in honoring the lives of those who have died. This includes relatives, friends, special heroes, and especially the Angelitos (the little children). Our goal is to provide a shared cultural experience for our citizens and to bring people to downtown Yakima.
The Yakima-Morelia Sister City Association will host its 5th annual Día de los Muertos Community Altar Exhibit in downtown Yakima. The exhibit, featuring approximately 30 community created altars, will be open daily from noon until 6:00pm from Saturday October 31st through Sunday November 8th, at 317 East Yakima Avenue, (the former Yakima Mall). Admission is free. The altars are created by local businesses, individuals, organizations and schools. School tours will be held in the mornings.
The Yakima-Morelia Sister City Association is the fulfillment of a 1956 national initiative proposed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The mission of the association is to promote charitable, educational, and cultural purposes by practicing citizen diplomacy: building, crossing and maintaining bridges between the cities and citizens of Yakima, Washington, USA and Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. It is a local non-profit run by volunteers dedicated to promoting peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation— one individual and one community at a time. Our sister city is located in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, where many of the Latino residents of our Valley have their roots.
Other 2009 Día de los Muertos Altar Locations:
Market Place Deli
304 East Yakima Avenue | (509) 457-7170
Essencia Bakery
4 North 3rd Street | (509) 575-5570
Red Art Gallery & Studios
30 North 3rd Street | (509) 469-2766
Yakima Valley Library
102 North 3rd Street | (509) 452-8541
Ron's Coin & Book
6 North 3rd Street | (509) 248-1117
Yakima Valley Visitors Information Center
101 North Fair Avenue | (509) 573-3388
