LOS ANGELES (September 25, 2024) – For the first time in Gloria Molina Grand Park’s history, the opening festivities of its annual “Day of the Dead” celebration will take place over two days: Saturday and Sunday, October 19–20, 2024. Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos begins on Saturday from 11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. with live poetry recitals, music performances, Día de los Muertos-inspired workshops, face painting, delicious food trucks and bilingual art activities for all ages alongside a beautiful collection of altars (known as ofrendas) created by professional artists and local organizations. On Sunday, Angelenos and community members can participate in the inaugural Los Angeles Día de los Muertos Parade & Festival, a free daylong event produced by park community partner The Navarro Group, from 2:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., filled with more live music, a spectacular parade, mouthwatering concessions and engaging arts and crafts activities to complement the altars on display in the park.
The 2024 Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos spans a total of 15 days, from October 19 – November 2. Saturday’s experience will coincide with the highly popular Downtown L.A. event Grand Ave Arts: All Access, in which the park is participating with its community partners ALOUD, Lil’ Libros, KTNQ 1020 AM and Self-Help Graphics. The park for everyone, powered by The Music Center, will be a unified space where visitors can explore to pay reverence at the altars. Parkgoers can also contribute to the community altar that will depict Angelenos’ commitment toward peace and goodwill.
“Since the park’s opening in 2010, Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos has grown to become an annual celebration that reflects Angelenos’ cultural traditions and, at the same time, brings together all community members to reflect and connect with one another at L.A.’s central gathering place,” said Robert Gonzalez, director of Gloria Molina Grand Park. “Expanding the opening ceremonies with a parade for the first time is a pivotal moment—doing so will elevate the way we honor the memory of our loved ones. We invite all Angelenos to join us for a weekend filled with reverence, compassion and love.”
Curated for the third time by local multimedia artist and educator Consuelo G. Flores, this year’s altars are designed to reflect the spirit of community in Los Angeles County. Park visitors will encounter tributes to diverse communities, including multicultural ancestors, LGBTQ+ members, beloved pets, children, Mexican literacy artists and those who have fought for social justice and equity. The park will also feature imageries of gardens, butterflies, hummingbirds and doves. To date, altars will be created by artists Joe Bravo, Consuelo G. Flores, the Gloria Molina Family, Marissa Magdalena, Jessica Monares, Gian Flores Norte, Rose Portillo and Antonio Rael; local organizations Antioch University Los Angeles; Generaciones en Acción; German Shepard Foundation; Indigital Productions; Mexican Cultural Institute of Los Angeles; OZO CommUNITY, Plus; Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural and Bookstore; and The Wall Las Memorias; and community partners LADWP Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) & The American Society of Civil Engineers of Los Angeles (ASCE); Library Foundations of Los Angeles; and Los Angeles County Supervisorial District 1 – Hilda Solis.
This year’s community altar, illustrating the theme “Finding Peace Through Memories and Hope for the Future,” will include a large peace sign perched on top, held below by hands, doves and traditional marigolds. The public is encouraged to bring to the community altar offerings as well as framed photos of deceased loved ones whom they want to remember and honor during the 15-day celebration.
“Loss is one of the most challenging experiences we face. Processing our grief is important so that we find peace and honor the legacies of those who impacted our lives. Thus, the focus of this community altar is peace,” explained Flores. “This altar also pays homage to those who, throughout their lives, worked toward freedom and harmony for all. Whether we are striving for it during war, amid internal strife or as we face the pain of loss, peace is the universal concept found in every language. To that end, the word ‘peace’ will be represented throughout the altar in different languages.”
Sunday’s inaugural Los Angeles Día de los Muertos Parade & Festival will be held in Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Block 4, between Broadway and Spring Street. The free daylong event will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.; the parade will launch at 7:00 p.m.
To cap off the 15-day Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos, the park will partner with the GuadaLAjara Film Festival (GLAFF) for the second consecutive year to present a free outdoor film screening on Saturday, November 2, from 7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. in the park’s Block Three between Hill Street and Broadway. The community is invited to experience a cinematic journey that honors loved ones and celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Mexico; free tickets are available at glaff.org/program. GLAFF is dedicated to identifying, nurturing and empowering Latin American and BIPOC filmmakers across generations, with a focus on fostering creativity and building bridges between the U.S. and Latin America.
Gloria Molina Grand Park's Downtown Día de los Muertos is supported by UCLA Health and the California Arts Council, a state agency.
CALENDAR LISTING
WHAT:
Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos
Gloria Molina Grand Park will showcase a public art installation in Downtown L.A. honoring Angelenos’ longtime customs and traditions of the Day of the Dead celebration. For 15 days, the park for everyone will be a unified space where visitors can explore and view a beautiful collection of altars created by professional artists and local organizations honoring their deceased loved ones and those who have fought for social justice and equity. For the first time in the park’s history, the opening weekend celebration will include a free daylong parade and festival with live music, mouthwatering concessions and engaging arts & crafts activities for all ages.
WHEN:
Public Viewing of the Altars (Blocks 1 & 2, from Grand Ave. to Hill St.)
- Saturday, October 19 – Saturday, November 2, 2024
8:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Opening Day Community Celebration with Live Poetry, Music Performances, Face Painting and Art Activities (Block 1, from Grand Ave. and the Olive St. Court)
- Saturday, October 19, 2024
11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Parade and Festival (Block 4, between Broadway & Spring St., and from Temple St. to 4th St.)
- Sunday, October 20, 2024
2:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. (parade begins at 7:00 p.m.)
Free Outdoor Film Screening (Block 3, between Hill St. & Broadway)
- Saturday, November 2, 2024
7:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Gloria Molina Grand Park
200 N. Grand Avenue
Los Angeles 90012
MORE INFO:
For the latest news about Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Día de los Muertos, visit grandparkla.org or follow the park on social media @grandpark_la (Instagram, X, Twitch, TikTok, Spotify and Mixcloud) and @grandparkLosAngeles (YouTube and Meta).
ABOUT GLORIA MOLINA GRAND PARK
A vibrant outdoor gathering place, Gloria Molina Grand Park is a beautiful public park for the entire community in Los Angeles County. With expansive green space for gatherings large and small, Gloria Molina Grand Park celebrates the county’s cultural vitality and is host to community events, cultural experiences, holiday celebrations and many other activities that engage and attract visitors from all communities. The 12-acre Gloria Molina Grand Park, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2022, stretches from The Music Center on the west to City Hall on the east and is easily accessible by Metro via the B/D (formerly Red/Purple) line to the Civic Center/Grand Park station. The park was named one of American Planning Association’s 10 “Great Public Spaces” in the U.S. for 2013. Working closely with the county, The Music Center is responsible for all operations and programming for the park. For more information, visit grandparkla.org. Follow Gloria Molina Grand Park on Instagram, X, Twitch, TikTok, Spotify and Mixcloud (@grandpark_la) as well as YouTube and Meta (@grandparkLosAngeles).
ABOUT THE MUSIC CENTER
The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of deepening the cultural lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. Celebrating its 60th year in 2024, the $80 million non-profit performing arts organization has two divisions: TMC Arts and TMC Ops. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year-round programming inside The Music Center’s four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Gloria Molina Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—in schools and other locations all over Los Angeles County. TMC Arts presents world-class dance with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, free and low-cost public concerts and events, as well as live and digital K–12 arts education programs, workshops, performances, interactive experiences and special events. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the Plaza and Gloria Molina Grand Park, which comprise $3 billion in county assets, on behalf of the County of Los Angeles. The Music Center is also home to four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil. For more information, visit musiccenter.org and follow The Music Center on social media @MusicCenterLA.
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