Dia de los Muertos Dayton was born in 2012. The goal of creating the event was to give the whole community an opportunity to celebrate the lives of their loved ones passed. Assured that the dead would be insulted by mourning or sadness, traditionaly Dia de los Muertos celebrates the lives of the deceased with food, drink, parties, and activities the dead enjoyed in life. Dia de los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience, a continuum with birth, childhood, and growing up to become a contributing member of the community.
In the first year Missing Peace Art Space, part of the Unitarian Fellowship for World Peace, worked with program partners to make the event happen. Program funding allowed them to build community for the event through school residencies, local art exhibition and a parade through the center of Dayton’s historic Oregon District. They captured the attention of a cross-section of our beautifully diverse community with nearly 350 participants. Over the years the parade through the Oregon District has continued to grow. The parade is designed to bring neighbors together, celebrating those lives that have touched ours.
This year, Missing Peace Art Space, led by a dedicated group of community artists, are ready to roll out an even bigger celebration for our Dayton family. But in order to do that the must first raise funds. To help support the Dia de los Muertos Dayton pre-order a fabulous t-shirt designed by local artist Susan Alden! This years shirt features the most familiar symbol of Dia de los Muertos – the calacas and calaveras (skeletons and skulls), which appear everywhere during the holiday: in candied sweets, as parade masks, as dolls. Calacas and calaveras are almost always portrayed as enjoying life, often in fancy clothes and entertaining situations.
DEADLINE IS TUESDAY 15 SEPTEMBER! Shirts will be available for pick up starting a few days prior to the event…
The actual free and family-friendly event celebration on Sunday, Nov 1st and will kick things off at 200 S. Jefferson Street at 2:15pm. The parade leaves a little after 2:30pm marching from Jefferson through the Oregon District and ends at Missing Peace Art Space at 3:30pm where you can experience the community ofrendas (altars), art exhibition, performances and much more!
