Gardnerville celebrates Dia de los Muertos

The second annual Dia de los Muertos Festival attracted an even bigger crowd than the first conducted in 2022.

“It was a wonderful community celebration and has grown significantly since the first event last year,” Main Street Director Jen Nalder said on Sunday. “This year we were fortunate to extend the event and add more local entertainment, food and beverage and Hispanic owned businesses.”

Performances included home-grown band Group Paso Fino, which included some members who are attending Douglas High School.

There was also Mariachi Sol de Reno, Nuestea Dancers, Trick Roper Juan Marrufo and the Latino Arte de Culture of Reno with the Aztec Dancers and 12-foot tall Catrina Doll.

“This is such a special event for our community, and we were thrilled to have had the opportunity to partner again with our friends at Douglas County Community Service and Carson Valley Arts Council to bring this beautiful cultural celebration back for a second year,” Nalder said.

Día de los Muertos dates back more than three millenia, when the Aztecs celebrated rituals honoring the dead.

“Now celebrated throughout Mexico and the United States, Día de los Muertos is a time when families pay homage to loved ones who passed and welcome them with their favorite food and drinks, music, and dancing. Families build altars or ofrendas where they place pictures and other offerings to their loved ones,” Nalder said.

She thanked Jen Calabrese with Douglas County Community Services for her help in coordinating the event.