By Olivia Turner | Arts & Life Editor
Under partly cloudy skies in Indian Spring Park, Creative Waco hosted its annual Día de los Muertos festival on Saturday. Here, festival-goers enjoyed the usual parade, food vendors, dance performances, and more, but something stood out from previous festivals — the prominent monarch butterfly theme.
This year, The Year of the Monarch theme featured many dresses, floats, posters and painted faces with the black, orange and white colors of the monarch butterfly wings. The theme symbolizes the migration of the monarch to Mexico as well as the departed souls of family and friends as they are reunited with the living during the festival.
The festival commenced at 4 p.m. with the parade, which run up and down Univeristy Parks Drive. People from local businesses, schools and vendors displayed their pride for the holiday as they rode in or walked alongside trucks and floats adorned with marigolds, papel picado, skeletons and even ofrendas.
Following the parade, festival attendees made their way to watch the performance of traditional Mexican dances and to shop from local vendors lining the street. Stands selling agua fresca, candles, clay jewelry and more attracted crowds. One of the vendors, Hiro Ramirez from Hillcrest Chiropractic, said he was excited to be at the parade as it is an important day for his people and is a big part of his culture.
“We wanted to be out here and get to know the community a little bit better,” Ramirez said. “It’s something that we wanted to tell the people about, especially because I know my community is very hard working, and a lot of people struggle with things such as back pain, neck pain and stuff like that.”
Ramirez was glad to see so many people enjoying the festival, as he believes Día de los Muertos is a celebration everybody should be able to see and experience.
“Texas is one of those states that has so many different diverse groups and for everybody to be out here, of all types, it’s good to see,” Ramirez said.
Another vendor, Luna Saphira, said it was her first year at Waco’s Día de los Muertos festival. She wanted to join this year to immerse herself and her art in the community.
Saphira’s stand displayed drawings, paintings and prints of various characters. She explained that she is trying to break out into different artistic mediums, and that the festival is an opportunity to share her work.
Saphira also said the festival was especially significant to have in Waco as an opportunity for people to share their stories as a way of keeping memories alive.
“I think it’s really nice to see the cultures and to be able to honor our ancestors in a wide variety,” Saphira said. “I know this year it seemed like there were a lot of people wanting to share in it and the fact that it’s right here in the heart of it; it’s really nice to expand.”
