Color and Joy at Dia De Muertos

 

11/1/26 Dia De Muertos festival at Seattle Center Armory

Dia De Muertos, the traditional Mexican festival honoring deceased loved ones, was an ideal way for USk Seattle to welcome the Big Dark (the outing was on the first day after the clocks fell back). Joyous and full of color, music and food, the Day of the Dead is a celebration that invites spirits back to the living world to join the festivities.

I thought the best way to immerse myself at the Seattle Center Armory was to walk around and capture bits of the festival (above). Huecha Omeyocan opened the event with glorious dance and music on the main stage. Although I missed all the movement and high energy, I tried to get at least the highly feathered headdress of one of the performers. With her face painted like a colorful skull, a young girl was learning to fold a traditional paper decoration. I also sketched a couple of the many colorful calacas characters displayed throughout.

When I got hungry, I stopped at a food stall to try esquite, which was like cream corn seasoned with chili and cotija cheese. While I waited, I caught a vendor making tostiesquites (seasoned corn chips that they serve right in the chip bag that has been cut open).

Fortified for the cold, I decided to go outside, where I found more Mexican food vendors.

More festival food vendors

Although I had used colored pencils in those sketches, I wanted to make one that was more in keeping with my Pencilvember objectives. In the time remaining before the throwdown, I made a quick homage to the Space Needle standing tall behind a wintry tree.

Space Needle

We had a fantastic turnout at a fun event!