Costumes, from simple to elaborate, add to the festive nature of the Silver City Dias de los MuertosWith the increased community participation, the 2016 Silver City Dias de los Muertos has expanded this year into a multi-day, multi-event celebration and time of remembrance. It is an important time for families, friends and neighbors to come together to remember those gone before and the memories that they left behind. It is a tradition. And in so many ways it is a beautiful gift to both the deceased and the living.
On Sunday afternoon, October 30, on Market and Texas Streets, the festivities begin! From 12:30 p.m. through 6:30 p.m. there will be activities for the young and old alike. From 1p.m. to 3p.m. there will be mariachi music filling the street and at 2 p.m. story telling will begin. At 3:30 the crowd will gather for the parade, complete with music, monsoon puppets and much more! There will be a showing of the film "The Book of Life" at the historic Silco movie theater at both 4 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. From 4 till 6:30 the Mariachi Music will continue and all afternoon there will be booths lining the street with food and craft vendors, all in the theme of Dias de los Muertos.
There is a very special performance at the WNMU Fine Arts Center beginning at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 31. Following a brief talk by Dr. Felipe de Ortego y Gasca, WNMU Scholar-in-Residence, there will be a performance by Ballet Folkdorico de la Universidad Autonoma de Cd. Juarez. According to Faye McCalmont, WNMU Assistant to the President for Cultural Affairs, "It is very exciting to have 44 members of this group come from the University of Chihuahua in Juarez to perform in Silver City." The performance is free and open to the public.
On Tuesday, November 1, at 4 p.m., there will be a mariachi music presentation by Canto a Mi Tierra de la UACJ in the courtyard of the Silver City Museum. At 5 p.m. there will be an ofrenda procession that begins at the museum and winds through downtown Silver City and ends at the Miller Library. Beginning at 7 p.m., at the Miller Library there will be ofrendas, talks, food and also WNMU's Mariachi Plata providing the music .
At Western New Mexico University on Wednesday, November 2,6:30 P.M., at Parotti Hall there will be a lecture by famed artist Catalina Delgado Trunk and following the lecture, at 7:30, an opening reception for Catalina Delgado Trunk at the McCray Gallery. This is also the location of a community ofrenda.
This special time, honoring the deceased, will bring back many memories of days and years before and create memories to be taken forward into the years ahead. This is a celebration that is the result of several community organizations working together. Thanks are given to sponsors Silver City Art Association, Southwest New Mexico Green Chamber of Commerce, Mimbres Region Arts Council, Town of Silver City, Western New Mexico University, Silver City Mainstreet, and Silver City Arts and Cultural District as well as the many individuals that have done the hard work that any major event requires. If you have questions or would like to join in the parade, as a vendor or as a volunteer you may contact Diana Ingalls Leyba at 575-388-5725 or leybaingallsarts@qwestoffice.net.