Celebrating
San
Diego
County
in
By
Teresa
Bergen
M
any cultures recognize something special and mystic happening
from October 31 to November 2. Some say the veil between worlds
is thinnest that time of year, so that the living can visit with the dead.
If you live in California, you've seen the decorated sugar skulls and figurines
from the Latino holiday Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. is tradi-
tion, mainly celebrated in Mexico, is a mixture of an old Aztec festival honor-
ing Mictecacihuatl, queen of the underworld, and the Catholic All Saints Day
and All Souls Day.
San Diego is a prime place to observe Day
of the Dead. "It's very sacred, but also it's
fun," says Devonna Almagro, executive di-
rector of the Sherman Heights Community
Center, site of San Diego's longest-running
Day of the Dead festival. "We want to en-
gage all cultures, all ages. And we make it
fun. at's why we have a festival."
october/november 2016 29
