Placita Olvera to celebrate Day of the Dead for nine days

Día de los Muertos on Olvera Street is an annual celebration in the heart of the City of Los Angeles that looks to commemorate the Day of the Dead, a Latino-driven multicultural signature holiday that pays respects and remembers friends and family members who have died. 

The Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation is a non-profit organization that, for over 80 years, has had the goal of preserving and promoting the traditional, historical, cultural and educational events and programs that have taken place on Olvera Street located in El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the historic center of L.A. 

Members of the Board of Directors of the Olvera Street Merchants Association Foundation are current merchants whose families have been part of the Olvera Street community for years. Every year the organization puts together the Dia de los Muertos Festival, from October 25 through November 2. The celebration has evolved to incorporate the pre-Columbian, Aztec, Mayan and Catholic rituals surrounding death. 

“Día de los Muertos is, in fact, a celebration of life—it is not a time to mourn our loved ones, rather it is a time to remember the lives they led and the many things they enjoyed during that life,” the organization stated on its website. “Death is a part of life, and so we honor it.” 

The nine-day celebration hosts different activities and processions every night, free of charge and open to the public. One activity that happens through the nine days is the Novenario Processions, a traditional Mayan blessing and soul-cleansing ceremony. This year, the procession will be led by Grupo Tartalejos, an Indigenous Aztec group, along with Aztec dancers and “living muertos,“ made up of participants dressed up as skeletons. The procession leads to a nightly ceremony in the kiosko, located in the center of the plaza, where the loved ones of a merchant family or special community member are chosen to be honored. Free pan dulce and beverages are given to all in attendance. 

Las Ofrendas and outdoor displays are also available throughout the nine-day event. Altars are structures dedicated to the dead, upon which gifts and offerings are placed to guide their spirits back. Ofrendas are often decorated with the departed's photos and favorite food and drink, as well as any other object that was dear to them when they were alive. This year, people were able to submit an application to be considered for an altar space for the 2024 Day of the Dead Festival at Olvera Street. Each person or group is responsible for the construction and cost of their own altar that will  remain on display through Saturday, November 2. The altars on display are very diverse in terms of altar themes. Many often honor a family member's pets or someone famous who has passed away. 

Another element of the festival that continues through November 2 is La Danza de la Muerte, which begins every night at 6 p.m. La Danza de la Muerte consists of a theatrical performance that tells the story of Día de los Muertos and its indigenous origins. The artistic performance shows how the holiday, which dates back to over 3,000 years, has transformed into today’s modern celebrations.

The Día de los Muertos Festival at Olvera Street concludes with the Carrera de Los Muertos, a 5K run/walk on November 2, 2024. Participants will traverse through communities and places surrounding Olvera Street, enjoy music along the course, receive finisher medals, and participate in a post-race Dia de los Muertos celebration. The event, which is currently accepting registrations, begins at 10 a.m. and begins on Main Street at El Pueblo de Los Ángeles Historical Monument. Runners and walkers then run through lower Chinatown, taking a left turn onto Alameda Street towards Los Angeles State Historic Park and crossing over the Los Angeles River before reaching the finishing line. The 5K ren/walk general admission ticket is priced at $54.42 and $48 for youth under 12 years old. 

To learn more about the Día de los Muertos Festival al Overla Street and to view the official 2024 flyers, click HERE.