Abby Cambiano
Northeast News
The Kansas City Museum and Mattie Rhodes Center partnered on Saturday, October 20 to celebrate Dia de los Muertos with face painting, art, a quincenera gown fashion show by Giselle Bridal, decorating sugar skulls, a marionette show by Stone Lion Puppet Theatre, Mexican food trucks, drinks and more. The fall weather made for a beautiful day filled with dancing, music, friendship and traditions as visitors left notes to loved ones on the ofrenda.
“This partnership that we have with the Kansas City Museum is five years strong and it’s great to be able to celebrate dia de los muertos not just at Mattie Rhodes but at different places around Kansas City. It’s such an amazing celebration of life and death and being able to educate people on its importance so people don’t get confused. When they see a skeleton and automatically think Halloween, so being able to make sure that they understand the significance of remembering our loved ones that have passed on in a very positive light and how the altar — ofrenda — really represents them in their life and in their death.” – Jenny Mendez, Mattie Rhodes Director of Cultural Arts
“This partnership that we have with the Kansas City Museum is five years strong and it’s great to be able to celebrate dia de los muertos not just at Mattie Rhodes but at different places around Kansas City. It’s such an amazing celebration of life and death and being able to educate people on its importance so people don’t get confused. When they see a skeleton and automatically think Halloween, so being able to make sure that they understand the significance of remembering our loved ones that have passed on in a very positive light and how the altar — ofrenda — really represents them in their life and in their death.” – Jenny Mendez, Mattie Rhodes Director of Cultural Arts
If you missed this event, you can still catch the Calaca Night Parade on Friday, November 4, beginning at 7 p.m. from TACC and led by KC Parks Partner Stone Lion Puppet Theater highlighting giant lit up puppets including Dead Betty! The parade winds through the Westside neighborhood and everyone is welcome to join in on the fun! Live music, good food and amazing altars and art will be on display in the gallery!
More information available here.
We’ve included numerous photos of Sunday’s event at the Kansas City Museum:
“It’s my first time this year so I was very excited to dress up and have my face painted” – Joanna