LYNNWOOD—Hundreds attended the seventh annual Day of the Dead event at the Lynnwood Convention Center on Saturday, an important Mexican holiday on November 1st and 2nd each year to honor and celebrate ancestors who passed away.
“I see the community of Lynnwood gathering together. I see Mexicans and Latinos as well as Americans and other nationalities gather to come together to learn something we at the consulate try to promote. To show the Mexican traditions to the community,” Gerardo Javier Guiza Vargas, Deputy Consul, Mexican Consulate in Seattle, shared with attendees.
This year’s Day of the Dead celebration, organized by the WAGRO (Washington-Guerrero) Foundation in collaboration with the Lynnwood Event Center, City of Lynnwood and dozens of community partners, featured a contest of Altars, Catrinas, and Calaveritas Literarias. This year’s event also included music, food, raffles, kid’s activities, and a photo booth by Reece Homes. Performances were by Mariachi Colima, Folklore Oaxaqueno, Yolihuani Aztec Dancers, Erick Gonzalez Castaneda, and Marseille Calleros. Jaime Mendez and Diana Oliveros emceed the event.
Attendees were seen placing photos or mementos on the “Día de los Muertos” community altar for healing, comfort, and reflection.
Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers reflected on the loss of his younger brother, Alan Paulsen, who passed away in 2023 from a fentanyl overdose.
“He was a wonderful guy…smart and funny. He would definitely be here for the tamales and if there were cerveza, it would probably seal the deal for him. All the gifts that he gave me and to those around him, will be special in my heart today,” Somers shared. “Thank you for having this; let’s grow it every year. This truly is a celebration that every person should celebrate.”
The event began with a traditional Aztec dance performed by the Yolihuani Aztec Dancers —the German-Maldonado family and some close friends. After the dance, a Las Catrinas costume contest was held. Catrinas are recognizable by their iconic skeletal face-paintings and usually wear elaborate headpieces or hats. These are essential symbols of the Day of the Dead as the costumes tell a story.
Lynnwood City Council President George Hurst shared a message of togetherness.
“Let’s come together today for a day of remembrance, celebration, and cultural unity,” said Hurst.
Day of the Dead poems, known as “Calavera Literaria,” were also read during the event. Council Vice President Altamirano-Crosby told the Lynnwood Times that the poems give insight into how Mexican culture views death. “It’s a way of seeing Mexican culture — life and death, and how we see them.”
Concluding the event, artists showcased their Ofrendas—an altar adorned with offerings for deceased loved ones. It is customary to place food on the altars that loved ones passed enjoyed and that candles and flowers are also used to help guide the spirits back to their living relatives. Different levels on the altar can also symbolize “earth, life, and heaven,” according to Altamirano-Crosby.
Below is a list of contest winners:
Children’s Catrinas and Catrines
- First Place: Angela Reyes – $150
- Second Place: Yaritza Zambrano – $100
- Third Place (tie): Emma Fisher Guerrero- $25
- Third Place (tie): Diego Barrera – $25
Adult Catrinas and Catrines
- First Place: Maria Salto – $250
- Second Place: Irma Hernandez – $150
- Third Place: Alicia Tellez – $100
Altars
- First Place: Velia Lara – $500
- Second Place: Maria Gonzalez – $300
- Third Place: Alzheimer’s Association – $150
National Literary Calaveras
- First Place: Ramon Lopez – $200
- Second Place: Fatima Itzel Meza Franco – $100
- Third Place: Mercedes Garcia – $75
International Literary Calaveras
- First Place: Deyra Andrea Aguilar Enriquez – $200
- Second Place: Gloria Mireya Cerrillo Romero – $100
- Third Place: Arely Adriana Almanza – $75
Below is a list of sponsors:
Author: Mario Lotmore
