Las Colinas Day of the Dead Canalside Celebration
The U.S.-Mexico Educational and Cultural Foundation in partnership with the Las Colinas Association held Las Colinas Day of the Dead Canalside Celebration on Mandalay Canal November 1st. Over 2,000 people filled the canals to celebrate and learn about Dia de Los Muertos.
Mariachi music from Travis Middle School Orchestra and Mariachi and Mariachi Azul from Grand Prairie High School floated through the canals. Cara Mia Theatre paraded mojigangas, 14 foot tall puppets, up and down the canalside while they weren’t performing “Flores y Calaveras”. The play was about a Mexican-American girl and her deceased Uncle teaching her about the traditions of Day of the Dead.
An ofrenda dedicated to members of the Irving-Las Colinas community who passed away was setup with over sixty photos submitted from community members. Guests could stop in and learn about the meaning of the ofrenda and pay their respects to those who had passed on.
Food and drink are a central part of Day of the Dead and the celebration wasn’t lacking in either. Fajita Pete’s sampled their flautas and pan de Muerto donated by Cost Savers Plus was passed out. Guests could create their own guacamole mix with the Avocados from Mexico guacamole cart. Zunte Mezcal educated event goers about the differences and similarities between mezcal and tequila and have a tasting of their best product.
The kids were entertained with arts and crafts from Irving Arts Center and face painting. While the kids got creative, adults could shop the marketplace that feature handmade Mexican goods. Gondola Adventures had one of their gondolas decorated in Day of the Dead adornments for photo opps and offered discounted gondola rides for the night.
A special thank you to Parameter Realty Partners and the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce for their support.
