MOSES LAKE — After all the Halloween candy is gone, the costumes are put away and the decorations are brought inside, it’s time to get down to the solemn part.
All Saints Day and All Souls Day, Nov. 1 and 2, are traditional Christian celebrations of those who have passed away. In Mexico, those two days are called Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, and serve as a reminder that the line between this world and the next may not be as sharp as it seems.
“In Mexico, it is customary to have altars built, which we try to do here as well,” said Noemi Garcia, a member of the Moravida Festival Committee. “The traditional ones in Mexico are different. They’re usually a lot bigger. They’re at people’s homes rather than in a community thing as it is here. But we try our best to keep that spirit alive.”
The Moravida Festival is in its fourth year now, serving not just as a memorial but as a celebration of Mexican culture. About 5,000 people were expected to come out for the eight-hour event, said organizer Rebecca Martinez. The name comes from the Spanish phrase “conmemorar vida,” meaning to commemorate life.
The 4-H Building had vendors of all kinds, the lawn had bouncy houses and food stands, and the Commercial Building hosted musicians and dancers, as well as tables where children could do draft activities. The south lawn was the scene of a car show, where owners of classic or customized vehicles vied for the most impressive display.
Ralph Gomez and his daughter Lindsey had decorated his 1963 Chevrolet Impala with memorabilia from the movie “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” with a stuffed mannequin of the title ghost, skulls and snakes and a sign that said “It’s show time.”
But the heart of the celebration was in the Ag Building, where the ofrendas, or family altars, were set up. Anyone who wanted to could create a display in memory of one or more loved ones. The theme was not of grief, but of loving memory. Candles and skull decorations were everywhere. The ofrendas had photos of the departed, but also representations of things that reminded the family of the person. One ofrenda had a microphone; another had boxes from Kentucky Fried Chicken.
“What people tend to place is things that those family members that are no longer with us like,” said committee member Guillermo Hermosillo. “Something very sacred, very special, very personal to each person and each family member.”
Besides his car entry, Gomez had an ofrenda set up, he said.
“We have grandparents, friends and aunts and uncles,” he said.
The ofrendas weren’t exactly like the ones in Mexico, said Mexico City native Juan Servin, who brought his family to see the ofrendas, but traditions also vary in Mexico.
“We made our own altar at home,” Servin said. “We know the meaning … one day is for the parents, the other day is for the elderly. Different generations, different cities and towns, they add things. It’s interesting to see the differences.”
At the head of the room stood the Community Altar, which Hermosillo decorated and which memorialized the committee members’ own families. One of those was committee member Guadalupe De La Rosa, who passed away in August. De La Rosa is deeply missed, Garcia said.
“We wanted to make sure and honor her this year,” Garcia said.
Ralph Gomez, left, and his daughter Lindsey Gomez show off his 1963 Impala for the Moravida Festival car show.
From left: Mike McCoy, his wife Laura McCoy, their 2 1/2-year-old son Mikey Jr. and Mike’s mother Diane McCoy look at the ofrendas, or altars, commemorating the departed at the Moravida Festival Saturday.
Julia Servin, left, takes a photo of her daughter Ana Servin and her husband Juan Servin. The Servins also had their own Dia de los Muertos display at home, Juan said.
The Community Altar at the Moravida Festival commemorated the departed loved ones of the organizers, particularly committee member Guadalupe De La Rosa, who passed away in August.