Downtown Lincoln celebrates Dia de Los Muertos

Dia de Los Muertos is a day dedicated to honoring those who have gone before us and is rooted in Mexican culture.

Sunday, Downtown Lincoln held its third annual celebration.

“We’re Mexican and so we usually celebrate Dia de Los Muertos so we came to celebrate our ancestors and parents and great grandparents. . .so that’s pretty much why we came,” says 8-year-old Sloane Reinhold.

The celebration included a traditional ofrenda where people were encouraged to bring photos of their loved ones.

“It’s so much more meaningful if you’ve actually identified and taken this time today to pay homage to those people,” says Shannon Kennedy with the Nebraska History Museum.

The event invited the community to make paper marigold flowers, known as Flor de Muerto, or flower of the dead, which traditionally are used to decorate ofrendas.

Face painting, screen–printed t-shirts and Mexican food allowed the city of Lincoln to celebrate and learn about the holiday while having fun.

Local artists collaborated to create an interactive hands–on ofrenda that featured music and sound.

“These represent the feelings like when we touch it we remember those people that pass away to bring like happy memories or sad memories and those feelings, it’s important to remember those ones who have passed away,” says local artist David Manzanares.

Him and musical artist Jay Kreimer created the unique piece as a tribute to Dia de Los Muertos as well as to celebrate life.

Downtown Lincoln’s celebration has grown immensely in the last three years and they plan to keep it going.

“It’s important to respect and appreciate our differences and to learn about cultures that for some of us we may know about but others we may not,” Kennedy says. 

Food was provided by local vegan Mexican kitchen Pepe’s Kitchen which specializes in using locally grown produce.