Birmingham celebrates Dia de Los Muertos Festival

The streets of Pepper Place were packed with skeletons on Thursday, Nov. 2.

From animal bones to paper mache and from elaborate face paint to festive costumes and art, the Day of the Dead was alive in Birmingham at the 15th annual Dia de los Muertos Festival.

Day of the Dead is a Mexican traditional holiday celebrated annually from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 to honor, remember and pray for family and friends who have passed away. The Birmingham festival also focused on celebrating the lives of people still here by joining together through dance, music, food, a jazz street parade and various forms of art. 

Kari Lane, festival director, said attendance this year exceeded expectations, and it was a huge success. 

"We really found our home here [at Pepper Place], the perfect atmosphere and open space," she said. Even though last year's festival took place at Cahaba Brewing, the festival has been held in that same Pepper Place area for the 13 years before that. 

Vendors sold hand-crafted masks, pottery, jewelry and other objects. Face-painting, which is a traditional part of Day of the Dead, was offered throughout the night, starting at 4 p.m. all the way until the event ended at 10 p.m. Historically, people have painted their faces like skeletons to resemble the face of a loved one, often in a creative and original way.

Additionally, the Dia de los Muertos Festival included a memorial roll call, the Frida Kahlo Ceremony and traditional dances like salsa.

Lane said that there were 21 altars set up before the festival started, in addition to a public altar that anyone could bring photographs, mementos and food to honor deaths of those close to them.

"The event in itself is important because it gives people the chance to grieve but also to celebrate them," Lane said.

Lane said what started out as a gathering of friends to honor Spider Martin, a Birmingham man who passed away, has turned into an annual event of remembrance attended by thousands of people. 

Bare Hands, which used to be an art gallery, organized the festival. To be featured as one of the altars next year, go to barehandsinc.org.