Families gathered Sunday at Magical Bridge Playground for a free Day of the Dead celebration that combined altars, dance and a community walk, organized by the City of Morgan Hill Centennial Recreation Center.
The event, held from 10am-1pm, welcomed all ages and abilities. Organizers billed it as a celebration of remembrance, culture and connection.
Nauhcampa Group Conchera Dance Community, a Gilroy-based traditional cultural organization, opened the program with a traditional Aztec dance. Participants then joined a group walk with music outside the playground.
Inside the park, an array of altars built by local families and organizations lined the sidewalk, each containing offerings to departed souls including toys for children, water for thirsty souls, salt, incense, paper cut-outs known as papel picado, lanterns, pan de muerto, sugar skulls and a path of flowers.
The gathering precedes the traditional Day of the Dead celebration, or “Día de los Muertos,” which takes place in late October and early November.
The observance spans several days from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, with each day dedicated to honoring a certain kind of departed soul, finally culminating in “All Saints’ Day” Nov. 1, dedicated to deceased children, and “All Souls’ Day,” Nov. 2, honoring adults.
