ARIZONA NEWS

Mesa Arts Center to celebrate Dia de los Muertos at 19th annual festival

Oct 16, 2024, 4:30 AM

Dia de los Muertos...

The Mesa Arts Center will host its 19th annual Dia de Los Muertos Festival Oct. 19-20, 2024. (Mesa Arts Center Photo)

(Mesa Arts Center Photo)

PHOENIX — The Mesa Arts Center will host its 19th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival in downtown Mesa this weekend.

The free festival brings more than 30,000 visitors to the venue near Main and Center streets every year.

The 2024 version runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival will also hold a relaxed hour from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Sunday for guests with sensory sensitivities.

The event celebrates Latin American art and culture related to the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a celebration and memorial of loved ones who have passed.

The festival has become an important community event over time, earning a National Endowment for the Arts grant of $75,000 last year.

“Each year, tens of thousands of people come together in downtown Mesa to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos at our festival, a wonderful event that welcomes everyone to share in our city’s vibrant spirit and rich cultural heritage” Mesa Mayor John Giles said in a May 2023 press release. “We are thrilled and honored to receive this support from the National Endowment for the Arts, underscoring the importance of community-led initiatives in fostering cultural exchange.”

Things to do at Mesa Dia de los Muertos Festival

The two-day event will immerse attendees in Mexican art and culture, traditional food, interactive activities and live music performances.

The performances will take place across four stages throughout the weekend.

Mesa Arts Center’s main parking lots will be closed to accommodate vendors. Street parking will be busy but nearby parking options and public transit, including Valley Metro light rail, will be available.

More information is available on the festival’s website.

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Mesa Arts Center to celebrate Dia de los Muertos at 19th annual festival