The 2nd Annual Seattle Catrinas Festival returns next Thursday, November 2nd. This day is to celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a holiday celebrated in Latin America to honor loved ones who have passed away.
The multi-day festival, which runs through Nov. 5 at Seattle City Hall on First Hill, will feature more than 20 local food stalls selling traditional Mexican clothing, crafts, chocolate and pan de muerto. Includes a Mexican street market with art vendors. A special sweet bread often eaten to celebrate holidays. During the festival, visitors can listen to live mariachi music. Play Loteria, the Mexican bingo game. Attend a children’s workshop. Eat delicious chicken tacos, tortas, and quesadillas from La Chingona Taqueria, a Bellevue-based food truck.
Attendees are encouraged to dress up and take photos with Katrina and Catherine, colorful characters with skull face paint and elegant clothing. This symbolizes Dia de los Muertos. Carlos Alvarado, founder and CEO of the Seattle Catrinas Festival, said attendees can remember their loved ones by making offerings to the dead, such as flowers, candles, portraits and other memorabilia. Or he said that ofrenda could be placed on the altar.
“This is not a party to mourn, this is a party to celebrate,” Alvarado said. “They still live on in our hearts. It’s a way of saying, ‘This is for you.’ It’s like a birthday party and a celebration for the deceased. ”
This year, organizers expect the event to draw about 5,000 spectators. The festival includes a Katrina procession led by candlelight each night. The procession begins inside City Hall at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $30. VIP tickets are $40. The festival will be held from 3pm to 9:30pm from November 2nd to 5th.
Seattle City Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., Seattle; SeattleKatrinaFestival.com
Other upcoming events
The festival is part of a series of local events held in November. There are four more community events you can participate in this month.
“Volume Check! “The Music We Make” Exhibition (Wing Luke Museum) — Until September 14, 2024
Wing Luke Museum’s newest music exhibit brings new attention to the artwork of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander musicians. The exhibit highlights a wide range of artists across genres, including Kim Sale and Hiro Yamamoto of the legendary rock band Soundgarden. Singer-songwriter Carly Ann Calbelo. Jazz drummer Akira Tana. and Mr. Geo Quibuyen of Blue Scholars.
The interactive exhibit includes archival photos, framed artwork, podcasts, artifacts, and videos, all of which highlight the important contributions of Asian American musicians to the art world.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until September 2024. 719 S. King St., Seattle; Adults $17, Seniors (62+) $15, Students (13-18 or with ID) $12.50, Youth (5-12) $10. wingluke.org/soundcheck
Day of Death in El Centro de la Raza — November 4th
El Centro de la Raza’s 18th annual Día de los Muertos event begins Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Latino Culture, Education and Social Services Center on Beacon Hill. In addition to commemorating the memory of a loved one, organizers and attendees can also pay tribute to the late Seattle painter Alfredo Arreguín, among other leaders in arts, culture, and environmental justice.
This year, the organization will display an exhibit highlighting the 50th anniversary of the Chilean coup, the violent military takeover of the country. The exhibition is based on the event’s theme: “Un pueblo sin memoria es un pueblo sin futuro,” or “A community without memory is a community without future.”
Starting around noon, community members can enjoy a free group meal that includes sweet and spicy chicken mole and salad, rice and beans. El Centro will also be serving hot chocolate and pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) from 3 to 5 p.m. Visitors are invited to bring their renders and stay at Katrina’s fashion show, where young women dress Katrina and do skull makeup. Folk dance. There is also a traditional market with vendors selling Latin art, jewelry, and clothing.
November 4th from 11am to 5pm. El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Ave. S., Seattle; free, donations suggested. elcentrodelaraza.org
“Honored to Tell” Exhibition at Wa Na Wari — November 4th – January 2024
Wa Na Wali, a Black arts and culture space in Seattle’s Central District, will present “Honored to Tell,” a showcase of art and oral history led by five alumni of the Seattle Black Space History Institute. The exhibition will open with an artist talk on Nov. 4 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a dance performance by artists Akoiya Harris and Nia Amina Miner. The collective showcase is part of a year-long study of oral histories of members of the black community, which included extensive interviews with barbers, dancers, educators, hairdressers, and others. It is.
Grand opening: Nov. 4 from 6-8 p.m. Wa Na Wari, 911 24th Ave. Seattle; Free; wanawari.org/art
2023 Finnish Community Bazaar and Yormarkinat — November 11th
The Finnish Community Bazaar is not only a central hub for Finnish culture in the northwest, but also a vibrant market that brings the community together to celebrate traditional Nordic food, treats, gifts, music, and dance in Ballard. is. Attendees can also sample Finnish cinnamon rolls and Karelian pie, a rye flour pastry with a rice filling. The Finnish Choral Society also plans to provide lunch.
November 11th from 10am to 3pm. Leif Erikson Hall, 2245 NW 57th St., Seattle; Free; FinnishBazaar.com