Halloween is fast approaching, and while you're counting down to the big day and enjoying all the fun haunted happenings around town, why not consider adding a multicultural flair into the mix? Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is technically not a Halloween event; however, it falls right around the same time of year and shares many similar customs and themes.
This Mexican tradition may sound somber and spooky, but it’s actually a joyous time of year, meant to honor family and friends who have passed on. Revelers prepare special foods, don colorful outfits, and create alters adorned with flowers, smiling skulls (calaveras) and candles to celebrate lost loved ones. Festivities include dancing, joyful skeletons (calacas), masks, plenty of candy, skulls made out of sugar, and marigolds, the traditional flor de los muertos (flower of the dead). Day of the Dead is observed on November 1 and 2, but events are already taking place. Read on for ways to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Westchester. The best part—all events are FREE.
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