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October is one of my favorite months, because let’s keep it real—I love spooky season! There are tons of amazing things to do around Halloween in Los Angeles, but one of my favorite is the massive Día de Los Muertos celebration at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery that is to die for—literally.
Día de Los Muertos: Celebration of the Cycle of Life and Death
Día de los Muertos translates to “day of the dead” in English. The tradition has ancient roots that go back nearly 3,000 years. Pre-Hispanic cultures like the Aztecs, Mayans, Tepanecs and others in Meso-America celebrated not just for a single day, but often for the entire month of August. Rituals were dedicated to the goddess of the underworld, Mictecacihuatl. Her origin story is quite sad, actually. The Lady of the Dead was sacrificed as a young child. In the underworld she married Miclantechutl, the king of the dead. Every year, she would steal the bones of the dead and bring them back to the surface of the earth so that they could provide for new life.
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After the arrival of the Spanish, the tradition was repackaged by the Catholic Church through centuries of colonial influence. Christian figures were introduced to replace the Meso-American gods and the festival was moved to correlate with the Catholic All Soul’s Day. The Virgin Mary took the place of Mictecacihuatl as the Church tried to scrub out the pagan origins of the tradition.
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Today, the holiday is still going through transition. Mictecacihuatl lives on in the figure of La Catrina, the female skeleton who is often portrayed dawning a long dress and oversized hat.
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Families build ornate, personal altars, or ofrendas, which house offerings of food and drink for lost loved ones to help keep them invigorated as they navigate the afterlife. Often, tequila, ornately decorated sugar skulls, and other favorites of the deceased are offered as gits. Brightly colored Marigolds adorn the altars, whose musky aroma is thought to attract souls for a visit. Across Mexico and the Southwest United States, parades and other celebrations are held on November 1. While the dead are remembered on this holiday, it is not all about death. In fact, remembering the dead honors the lives they lived and reminds participants to enjoy the moments they have in their own lives.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
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In the heart of Hollywood on Santa Monica Blvd lies one of the most intriguing cemeteries I have visited. The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is the forever home to some of Hollywood’s biggest A-listers after they pass on. It was originally opened in 1899 as the Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery. With the coming of the silver screen in the early twentieth century came a wave of glamor and celebrity to Hollywood—and the cemetery.
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Eternal residents include the likes of Old Hollywood’s elite, including Rudolph Valentino, Judy Garland, and even Toto, as well as some world famous musicians like Chris Cornell and Johnny Ramone. Check out this map to get an idea of where to find them all.
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Today, the cemetery also supports itself by collaborating with unique community events, including the Cinespia’s summer movie showing series and the annual Día de los Muertos celebration. Visitors can walk the grounds for free during normal day hours, meandering through the rolling grass hills and grave sites. There's even a lake with willows weeping over graves and ornate headstones.
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Catch a glimpse of the brilliantly colored peacocks dancing through the headstones. There’s a serene Buddhist memorial space, with small pagodas decorated lovingly with colorful ties. A Buddha statue sits quietly in the back.
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Día de Los Muertos: Celebration of the Cycle of Life and Death
The cemetery is spooky all year round, but truly comes alive during this festive event. It is one of the largest Día de los Muertos event in Los Angeles, attracting hundreds of visitors. This year’s event takes place on Saturday, October 28, with tickets selling for $35. 2023’s theme is Máscaras de México – Vida y Muerte en la Máscara (Masks of Mexico – Life and Death in the Mask).
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There are shops with tons of spooky crafts, snacks, and super strong drinks. You must imbibe a margarita—or two—or three! One of my favorite things to do is to people watch. There are some seriously creative attendees that put together elaborate costumes featuring traditional designs or spooky reinterpretations perfect for a haunting Halloween weekend adventure.
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During the festivities, the cathedral mausoleum opens it up as an art exhibition, showcasing local Mexican-American artists. The otherwise dim mausoleum is lit up with bright colors and activity. I’m sure its eternal residents enjoy the show.
Altars and Traditional Culture
Even though there are clear elements of Hollywood glamour mixed with Halloween horror, the event is still very authentic, helping keep ancient cultural traditions alive. Founders Tyler Cassity and Deisy Marquez claim that the celebration held each year “has provided a gateway for those who wish to reacquaint themselves with their deeply rooted traditions and profoundly engage with one of the most devotional celebrations for the continuous cycle of life” (LA Day of the Dead, 2019).
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Today, Mexican-Americans can honor both their heritage and their own lost loved ones by delicately constructing their own unique alters. Many of the altars are crafted by families and small church organizations, honoring real-life people. Visitors can wander around and speak with the families and organizations who built them, getting a very personal glimpse at the true nature of the holiday.
Some are small and intimate, featuring photographs of lost loved ones and their favorite snacks and belongings. Other altar constructions feature ornate dinner tables with gorgeous place settings to honor important figures and communities.
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We even spotted an altar dedicated to my great aunt, artist Corita Kent at the 2019 event! Shout out to the Corita Art Center for this beautiful altar!
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Troops of traditional Aztec dancers perform in the crowded streets. In ancient times, dancing would often be incorporated ceremonies meant to welcome the Lady of the Dead back to earth and honor her for protecting the bones that would bring about new life. There is definitely a deep vibrating energy manifested as the drums increase in energy and intensity. These ancient dances played a major role in Aztec religious rites. According to Dr. Adje Booth (2012) in his “Music, Song and Dance Among the Aztecs,” the Aztecs incorporated “trumpets during sacrifices and to announce the times of penance” using “large rattle-sticks and rattling incense ladles in processions” combined with a type of slit drum known as the teponaztli, a wooden drum beaten with “gum resin covered wood mallets” (Both, 2012).
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Dancers gathered together in a circle, their costumes adding to the music as they rattled along with the rhythmic movements. Shells and other materials adorn their wrists, creating instruments out of the dancers’ very bodies. Their bodies’ own natural rhythm chime into the musical performance. Dr. Both (2012) cleverly describes this practice, saying “to dance was to sing with the feet.” Costumes are incredibly ornate, representing accurate ancient Aztec design and aesthetic. Their impressive feather headdresses wave wildly as they whirl back and forth to the music. Others wore intricate skeleton face and body paintings.
New Night Event Schedule
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I have to admit, the event has become more commercialized over the years. It’s growing popularity has attracted larger vendors and expanded concert musical performances in the main stage area. The event now features two separate ticket sales, one during the day to check out the alters from 9am to 3 pm, and another at night for the live bands that play, from 5pm to midnight.
Honestly, I enjoyed the way it was in the past, as golden hour was the best time to enjoy the cemetery in all of its spooky glory. Word to the wize—the best time to attend is around 4 to 6 pm to catch that soft, setting sunlight. So, I guess even if you do not stick around for the musical performances, I would still go for the night ticket. If you’re interested in catching some of the bands, make sure to get there early. Lines to get in to the night segment are long, stretching out onto Santa Monica Blvd and wrapping around Gower.
So, if you’re in Los Angeles this Halloween weekend, make sure to check out the celebration of Día de los Muertos at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery! It is definitely a unique snapshot into Mexican culture and heritage, with a side of spooky splendor!
Works Cited:
Both, Dr. Adje. (2012). “Music, Song, and Dance Among the Aztecs.” Aztecs. https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/music/music-song-and-dance-among-the-aztecs-a-short-introduction#:~:text=Music%20and%20dance%20were%20understood,to%20sing%20with%20the%20feet%E2%80%9D
LA Day of the Dead. (2019). History. Día de Los Muertos. Web. https://www.ladayofthedead.com/history/
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