Ava S.
Yelp
On Saturday, we went to the Day of the Dead Festival, and it was so much fun! Because of the rain, it was moved indoors, and admission was free They were checking people in by what area code you live in and then give you an admission sticker.
I like when you go to an event and the crowd is very diverse. I loved the outfits and facepaint the men and women donned. They're so intricate and colorful, and you have to admire the time, effort and tradition put behind them. They had vendors throughout, and a few arts and crafts areas. There were a lot of organizations tables from Orpheum Memphis, Metal Museum, La Prensa Latina, Shelby County Public Health, and several other tables to assist the Hispanic/Latin community from student support to additional community organizations. They also had a theater where they performed many dances. We also saw a mariachi band.
side note: restrooms passed. A good thing considering how violated restrooms can look during a crowded event.
The museum was open, so there was the chance to also look at the current exhibits. We found an area with a beautiful Persian rug converted to an art piece. After passing the rug, there was one art and craft area where you got to create your own flower using tissue paper and pipe cleaners. There was a volunteer at the table to give instructions. It was fun to do, and the flower turned out cute.
We then walked around checking out some of the current exhibits, and there's an area dedicated to Maurice Sendak. He's the author of Where the Wild Things Are and other children's stories. They had a collaborative storyboard where you could look at everyone's drawings and contribute your own. Even if a brief scribble, how could I pass that up?
The theater was across from the Maurice Sendak exhibit, where they had several different shows throughout the day. The theater area is kinda small, so it was rather warm inside. We caught a portion of the traditional dancers and went back upstairs.
There was another area in the museum to purchase jewelry, clothing, dolls, art, magnets, children's books, candy, handbags, pens, etc. The room was so colorful and had a lot to choose from! Pricing varies from table to table.
I usually like looking at what each table has and then deciding what I want, because sometimes you find something different that you enjoy more. The downside to that method is that you may want to go back to your original and it may not be there. It depends. Essentially, if you really LOVE IT on the spot, it's best to go ahead and get it. I got 2 pairs of earrings, with one set made out of corn husks.
Within this area was one table that seemed a little out of place. The area had a set of paintings: one of Dr. King and the other of B.B. King. The paintings were nice and colorful, but the original artists weren't there. They had 2 reps that were providing candy and giving a brief description of the paintings. There was a random set of fried chicken on a foam plate in front of Dr. King's painting with a liquor bottle, then one lone piece of catfish in front of B.B. King's painting. It too looked out of place, so I asked her about the fried chicken and liquor and she said "it was his favorite".
...and I left it at that.
It was a little weird, but the vendor area was still nice. The event began to wrap up because the rain started to come down. Before we left, there was the mariachi band playing and another set of dancers. We got a few more pictures before we left, and then the rain came. Luckily, not too hard though
I'll give this one a rating: giving the dead a breath of life. This was definitely an event for all ages. Although Día de Los Muertos is a holiday dedicated to the remembrance of those who have passed on, it's a reminder that traditions and memories are held in different hands, through different hearts, and carried on many paths.