LONGMONT, Colo. – Colorado’s largest Day of the Dead celebration happens each year at the Longmont Museum. The extended celebration begins with an Opening Fiesta for the exhibition La Ofrenda de los Muertos: Honoring Days of the Dead, on September 26 at 6 pm. Events occur at the Museum and numerous other locations in Longmont throughout October, culminating in the Family Celebration at the Museum on Saturday, November 1.

This year’s La Ofrenda exhibition highlights the traditions of Oaxaca, Mexico. Framed photographs of the celebration in Oaxaca by Professor Denis Defibaugh of the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Photographic Arts & Sciences explore the traditions of Day of the Dead. New this year in the exhibition are large alfombras, brightly colored sawdust carpets that have been created on-site by a cadre of volunteers. Returning favorite elements of the exhibition are the altars created by local families and organizations in honor of loved ones who have passed away. The three-dimensional wood carving of artist Rob Yancey, also known as “El Guero Santero,” provide a colorful complement in the Portal Gallery. Exhibition admission will be $5 for adults, $3 for students and seniors (62+), and free for children three and under.

Special programs at the Museum include Skull Mask art workshops for kids on October 18 taught by Oscar Bacerra, a visiting artist from Mexico, discussions by the people who have built altars in the gallery on October 15 and 29, and storytelling on October 11 and 22. Full list of programs.

On November 1, 2014, the Museum will host a Family Celebration of Day of the Dead, featuring traditional music and dance, sugar skull decorating, paper flower making, face painting and more! Due to construction, the Museum will not be serving the full complement of traditional food as in past years, but food trucks will be selling food at the event.  The exhibition and all programs are free on November 1. 

Support for the celebration of Day of the Dead at the Longmont Museum has been provided by the Longmont Community Foundation, the Community Foundation Serving Boulder County, and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, with additional support from many other individuals and businesses in the community.

Information about the Longmont Museum

The Longmont Museum is a center for art and culture in northern Colorado. The Museum’s permanent exhibitions highlight the history of Longmont and the northern Colorado Front Range, and its special exhibitions range from major artists such as Ansel Adams, John J. Audubon, and Edward Weston, to hands-on explorations of transportation, culture, and technology. For more information, contact the Museum at 303-651-8374, or visit www.longmontcolorado.gov/museum.

###