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Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration

Saturday, October 21, 2023

10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Location: The Rockwell Museum

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Open to the public | Included with regular Museum admission, Rockwell Members, Kids/Teens (17 & Under): FREE  | Walk-ins welcome*

*The Sugar Skull project is first come, first served. All other activities, projects and food throughout the Museum are drop-in anytime 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. 


Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday steeped in tradition that honors friends and family members through art, dance and festive foods. Decorate sugar skulls, make paper flowers and learn about this special Mexican holiday. 

Celebrate Day of the Dead with The Rockwell Museum and regional Mexican folk artists. This family-friendly event will be held at the KIDS ROCKWELL Art Lab and The Rockwell Museum.  

 

Activities at the Art Lab

36 E. Market Street

  • Sugar Skull Decorating – Decorate your own sugar skulls with Dinorah J. Peters. Registration is recommended. Walk-ins allowed, space permitting. Please register every person in your group for the Art Lab space – youth and adults. Choose from 1-hour project time slots from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Workshop registration includes event admission.
  • Mexican Dance Workshop with Oaxacan monos de calenda (street puppets) created by Mexican artist, Antonio Cruz Zavaleta. Learn about traditional Mexican dance and traditional street puppets connected to community performances with Leonel Rosario, Dolores Alvarado and Karen Canning. Learn basic dance steps by participating in this fun, family-friendly workshop, and move your body to traditional Mexican dance rhythms. Drop-in to either time slot to participate with friends and family.
    • 11 – 11:45 a.m.
    • 1 – 1:45 p.m.

Activities at The Rockwell

111 Cedar Street

  • Festive Foods – Enjoy Pan de Muerto (traditional Mexican bread) and hot cocoa. Regular and spicy hot cocoa will be available.
  • Oaxacan Ofrenda Building Activity – Learn about and participate in the Mexican tradition of building an ofrenda and shopping at a Mercado (Market) for supplies and festive décor with Bev Stevens.
  • Paper Flower Headbands – Make your own Mexican-style paper flowers with Gloria Peters.
  • Memory Box Project – Create a multimedia memory box to honor a loved one who has passed away with CareFirstNY.
  • Selfie Station – Take a festive photo using Día de los Muertos themed props at the Selfie Station. Walk the red carpet and share your photos using #RockwellMuseum | @rockwellmuseum.
  • Student Ofrenda & Butterfly Activity – See the artwork of middle school Spanish students who visited The Rockwell for a Día de los Muertos school tour during the month of October. Visitors can add a paper butterfly with a special message to the kaleidoscope of butterflies on view in the Student Gallery.
  • Museum Store Coupon – Receive a $5 coupon to shop for traditional Day of the Dead items in the Museum Store.

Learn more about Día de los Muertos and our presenters >>

 

Did You Know? 

Throughout the month of October, middle school Spanish students from the surrounding area visit the Museum to participate in a Día de los Muertos tour. The tour program focuses on works of art connected to themes of loss and remembrance. In addition, Rockwell educators and volunteers provide outreach programming to Grade 3 classrooms connected to the study of Mexico unit. As part of the school tour visits and outreach programs, students create projects inspired by Mexican folk art traditions. 

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