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Chico marked Día de los Muertos with a fairgrounds festival and a cemetery celebration
Each day of the holiday honors a different group of souls
- Oct. 27Families leave water and treats for pets and animals.
- Oct. 28Honors souls lost in accidents or violence; the first candle is lit.
- Oct. 31Water, bread and fruit go on the altar for unborn children.
- Nov. 1All Saints' Day: children's souls arrive to toys and food on the altar.
- Nov. 2Adult souls come to collect and eat the offerings.
- Nov. 3The last candle is lit, and families say goodbye and remove the offerings.
Source: The Orion
If you caught Día de los Muertos around Chico this weekend, you were in good company. The fourth annual festival, hosted by Divine Sundays, was held Nov. 1 at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds, and dozens of families celebrated at Chico Cemetery, where Chico High's Ballet Folklorico Club performed traditional dances.
- UNESCO recognition: 2003, as heritage of humanity
- Altar staples: marigolds, candles, water, food, papel picado, salt
- Pan de muerto: sweet bread glazed with sugar, placed on the altar
Azra Gomez said she celebrated this year by going home to honor her older brother, who died last year. Maritza Bravo, a Chico community member, said keeping the tradition alive matters.
“Not forgetting those who are not with us anymore is a way to remember them.”
Maritza Bravo, Chico community member
Altars can have two, three or seven levels, and the seven-level version is the most traditional.
The number of levels on an altar changes what it represents
| Altar | What it represents |
|---|---|
| Two levels | Division between earth and sky |
| Three levels | Sky, earth and the underworld |
| Seven levels | Steps a soul travels to the afterlife |
Source: The Orion
