KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Central Avenue Betterment Association hosted its eighth-annual Day of the Dead celebration on Saturday afternoon.
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Visitors enjoyed traditional music, authentic Mexican cuisine and all the colorful sights.
Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday in which the spirits of the dead are believed to return home and spend time with their relatives.
To welcome them, families build ofrendas, or altars, in their honor.
“This is awesome to show them what the culture is, what it means. My mom passed away, so he can know that we can remember her, just do little things like that,” said Marco Solorio, who brought his sons to the festival.
The event stretched for blocks down Central Avenue in KCK where the Mexican community has been deeply rooted for generations. Executive Director of CABA, Edgar Galicia, says there was purpose in starting this here in 2016.
“Part of the the challenge that we face is the creation of community pride,” Galicia said. “Culture is a very strong way to anchor people to locations, to communities and self-investment, so that's why we produced this so we can tell the Latino community that they’re welcome.”
Galicia says events like this not only help educate and entertain, but has the opportunity to invest in the growth of the community. On average, vendors like the Sanchez family make $2,000 to $3,000 per day.
“It’s a great opportunity for a small business like us to come out and get exposure. From that exposure, we can grow as a company,” said Sanchez of Taste of Potosi.
Organizers say the event transcends all cultural and racial barriers.
The human condition to lose loved ones and to long for someone connects us together.
“So if you have somebody living in your heart, bring it with you and celebrate,” Galicia said.
