El Dia de Los Muertos at San Jose Museum of Art

Submitted by the Event Organizer

The San Jose Museum of Art will celebrate El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with a free community day. The popular annual family event features a variety of hands-on art activities, demonstrations, and performances that reflect the traditions associated with this holiday.
Activities and entertainment will include:
• The building of an ofrenda—an altar used to display portraits, foods, and special possessions and memories of loved ones—by local artist Cristina Velazquez
• Live music by San Jose Mariachi. Members of this semi-professional co-ed ensemble are all high school, college, and graduate students between the ages of 16-23. In addition to performing at festivals and venues throughout the region and beyond, these young musicians also serve as instructors and role models for an after-school youth mariachi program.
• Book reading and signing by local author/illustrator Bob Barner. Bob opens up the world of art, music and books with his fun, energetic presentation. Bob will read from his book, draw along to the song “Dem Bones” and encourage young visitors to keep a journal with their own ideas for a masterpiece.
• Traditional Day of the Dead crafts such as Calaveras de Azucar, or sugar skulls. In the tradition of Mexican folk artists, visitors will use colorful icing, foil, and wire to decorate skulls made of solid sugar.
• Lucha Libre thumb wrestler: visitors will make their own thumb-sized Luchardore (wrestler), inspired by Mexico’s professional wrestling and characterized by high-flying moves and colorful masks.
• Shrink-art skeletons: visitors will decorate plastic skeletons, then shrink them into a colorful hoodie zipper pull or pendant.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.