How Gloria Molina Grand Park will honor immigrants on Día de Muertos

It’s that time of the year to remember our ancestors. L.A.’s Gloria Molina Grand Park will celebrate Día de los Muertos celebration, from Saturday, October 25, through Sunday, November 2.

The theme of the nine-day experience, which traditionally honors the enduring spirits of loved ones lost, is expanding to also generate awareness of the lived, traumatic experiences of Los Angeles County’s immigrant communities that have been recent targets of federal immigration raids. 

Two-time Latin Grammy-nominated artist Lupita Infante will perform on the final evening of the annual celebration, known as Noche de los Muertos (Night of the  Dead). 

All events are free and open to the public.  

“The theme of this year’s Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos is a ceremonial  response to the everyday struggles and resilience of immigrant families who face displacement,  detention and deportation. As we come together in remembrance of loved ones, we must also remind  ourselves our roots are not only cultural, but also spiritual,” said Robert Gonzalez, director of Gloria  Molina Grand Park. “I invite Angelenos, visitors and immigrants to gather, reflect and reclaim joy at this  year’s Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos; ‘the park for everyone’ will be a  healing space for all who are seeking to bridge generations, our communities and our histories.” 

Curated for the fourth time by local multimedia artist and educator Consuelo G. Flores, this year’s ofrendas (altars) will be created by local artists and community organizations and will showcase vibrant marigolds, candles, photographs and symbolic mementos that honor the memory and legacies of ancestors. The exhibition will not only pay tribute—through art, music and ritual—to those who have passed but will also celebrate the strength and perseverance of the immigrant communities that continue to shape Los Angeles. 

Altars will be created by artists Angela Imperial, Celina Jacques, Marissa  Magdalena Sykes, Jessica Monares, Rose Portillo, Antonio Rael and The Family of Gloria Molina; local 

organizations Antioch University Los Angeles, East Los Angeles Women’s Center, Generaciones en  Acción, German Shepard Rescue of Orange County, Indigital Productions, Mexican Cultural Institute of  Los Angeles, Rock Rose Gallery, The Wall Las Memorias and Vital Strategies; and community partners  LADWP Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) & The American Society of Civil Engineers of  Los Angeles (ASCE) and Los Angeles County Supervisorial District 1 – Hilda Solis, among others. 

“The federal immigration raids have left me disturbed and in disbelief—that is why this year’s altars will  be focused on the legacies of our immigrant past. We cannot disregard the many important  contributions that immigrants have made to the United States,” said Consuelo Flores. “The legacies we  honor today are reminders of where we come from and how much we can accomplish. Each altar will  pay tribute to those who have passed and celebrate the strength and perseverance of all immigrant  communities seeking safety, dignity and opportunity.” 

The festival will kick off on Saturday, October 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., as part of Grand Ave  Arts: All Access. The day begins with a sacred processional honoring the tradition’s Indigenous roots,  featuring blessings by Ohtli Yollotl and followed by inspiring performances from local artists. The music  lineup includes El Marchante (led by cultural organizer Osmar Romero) and Mariachi Las Catrinas. A  highlight will be a formal acknowledgement and dedication of the park’s legacy in memory of former L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina, whose tenacity helped create and complete the 12-acre green  oasis. Visitors and families can participate in hands-on activities, such as printmaking, face painting and sugar skull crafting, as well as discover natural remedies from an “alterNative” medicine shop. 

Gloria Molina Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos will cap off the nine days with a luminous  Noche de los Muertos festivity, illuminating the path between life and death through light, music and  cultural expression. The closing celebration, to be held from 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Sunday,  November 2, will feature an Aztec ceremonial dance, a mercado (market) featuring wares made by local  artisans and art-making activities where participants can create colorful lanterns and play with marigold  dye—all reflecting the heart of Día de los Muertos. Two-time Latin GRAMMY®-nominated artist Lupita  Infante will headline the four-hour festival, alongside L.A.-based band Boleros with Attitude (BWA) that revives the vintage Bolero sounds of the Golden Era of Mexico by fusing them with the dynamic force of  hip-hop. With the warm glow of candles and glowing altars, Noche de los Muertos will be a poignant  tribute to ancestors and a collective expression of joy in the face of loss and adversity. 

For more information, visit grandparkla.org and follow Gloria Molina Grand Park on social media.