The City of Coachella celebrates Day of the Dead with its annual Run with Los Muertos event
Crowds gathered in Coachella to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Families at the annual "Run with Los Muertos" spent the evening honoring their loved ones.
Over 750 runners met in front of Coachella's city hall to participate in the run with Los Muertos celebration. The holiday offers a chance to remember and honor those who have passed. Some families joined in on the run, and others built altars to signify the loved one that passed on. The mayor of Coachella, Steven Hernandez, shared with us that twelve families built altars as people walked around, paying their respects and celebrating lives lived.
"Sometimes, you know, we lose our culture, we lose, you know, the stories that we have. So doing this, like I feel like, brings people together," says David Aguilar. Aguilar says his mother has been building her altar for the past ten years at the festival.
It features photos, food, and items their loved ones enjoyed or owned while alive.
"My grandpa has his little coffee on top right by him, his black coffee just with sugar the way that he liked it," says Aguilar.
Mayor Hernandez shared that this part of his culture is special to him. "I think more than anything, it really draws me closer to my culture in some ways, you know, respecting life and loving life, but also understanding that there is an afterlife, and we shouldn't fear death," says Mayor Hernandez.
The Palm View Elementary Ballet Folklorico dance team performed and wore traditional face paint.
The mother of one of the dancers, Susana Woodson, says it represents people who passed away in a colorful way. "It's not like about Halloween or anything," says Woodson. "It's not supposed to be scary. It's supposed to embrace the people that have passed."
The Bulldogs cheer squad excited the crowd with their moves.
Local artists performed songs throughout the evening.
There was even a row of local food trucks/food vendors and local businesses selling their products.
"It's a celebration of life," says Aguilar. "Yes. It's sad when people pass away. But at the end of the day, we celebrate what they gave to us while they were alive."
