How to celebrate 2024 Día de los Muertos in the Huntsville area
Reading time: 5 minutes
Here’s your guide to celebrating Día de los Muertos in the Huntsville area this weekend, plus a bit of background if you’re unfamiliar with the holiday.
Table of Contents
What is Día de los Muertos?
Día de los Muertos is a traditional Mexican holiday celebrated over two days annually Nov. 1-2. The colorful celebration honors the lives of loved ones who have passed away. The event’s timing coincides with the Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, which have similar themes.
Unlike Halloween, which emphasizes frightful themes, Día de los Muertos is a colorful celebration that appears joyous while carrying the deep meaning and emotions of honoring ancestors.
Día de los Muertos traditions
You’ll see many common themes, motifs and materials in Día de Muertos observances. Here are several that have long been part of the tradition.
- Altars (ofrendas): Vibrant displays to honor deceased relatives, adorned with offerings like favorite foods, photographs and personal items.
- Skulls (calaveras): Colorful skulls in many forms, from sugar candies to papier mâché to wood, often inscribed with the relative’s name.
- Marigolds: These bright flowers are believed to guide the spirits to the altars and symbolize the fragile nature of life.
- Copal incense: Made from tree resin of a native South American plant, this incense has long been used in spiritual settings to bring balance.
- Punched paper decorations (papel picado): Colorful decorations that add festive flair and, like the marigolds, symbolize the delicate nature of life.
- Candles: Illuminated symbolize hope and faith.
- Pan de Muerto: Sweet, baked bread (pan dulce) bearing bone shapes to symbolize the circle of life. Look up your closest local Mexican bakery (panaderia) to find it! Tip: Nava’s Bakery has Huntsville and Decatur locations and is known for its delicious pan dulce.
Día de los Muertos trends
As more people learn about Día de Muertos and host community celebrations, you’ll see many features that have made their way into the tradition in modern times, such as:
- Alebrije: These mystical creatures originated in Mexican folk art and were popularized by the film “Coco.” While they aren’t historically linked to the holiday, no one seems to mind their colorful addition to the tradition.
- Face painting: Colorful and intricate face painting inspired by the traditional sugar skulls (calaveras) has become a popular modern way to celebrate.
- La Catrina: This skeletal female figure in a giant hat, was born from political satire around the turn of the 20th century. In 1947, muralist Diego Rivera riffed on the original print and turned her into a national symbol.
- Parades: Parades are a newer thing for Día de Muertos since being popularized by the James Bond film “Spectre” in 2015. Mexico City held its first Day of the Dead parade a year later.
Día de los Muertos Celebration in Decatur
Decatur began hosting North Alabama’s only large-scale Día de Muertos community event in 2021, and it has grown in features and popularity every year since. This year’s event includes a community altar, restaurant specials, food trucks, art activities, a DJ, live music in the early evening, traditional vendors, cultural dancers and kids’ activities.
A new feature in 2024 will be a Quinceañera Pageant at 2PM on the steps of the Alabama Center for the Arts. One of 15 contestants will be crowned the city’s first Day of the Dead Queen. See the info link below for a detailed schedule of events.
- When: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024
- Hours: 10AM-9PM
- Where: Downtown Decatur, 2nd Ave. SE, Decatur, AL
- More info: Facebook
Día de los Muertos at Straight to Ale in Huntsville
A community ofrenda, specialty drinks and a musical performance by GORRIO highlight the Día de los Muertos celebration at Straight to Ale in Huntsville this Saturday. People and pet remembrances are all welcomed on the altar.
- When: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024
- Hours: 7PM-11PM
- Where: The Speakeasy at Straight to Ale, 2610 Clinton Ave W, Huntsville, AL 35805
- More Info: Facebook
Día de los Muertos at High Cotton Arts in Athens
Look for the beautifully painted windows of High Cotton Arts just off the Athens square to celebrate Día de los Muertos in creative style. The event features a community ofrenda to memorialize loved ones, food vendors, live music, face painting, door prizes and more.
- When: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024
- Hours: 3:30PM-6PM
- Where: High Cotton Arts, 103 W Washington St, Athens, AL 35611
- More Info: Facebook
Want to stay in the know about fun events in Huntsville and beyond? Follow Hville Blast on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter.
