Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces is dedicated to promoting Hispanic culture and history through events, gatherings, the performing and visual arts. To further this purpose the Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces draws on the Arizona Hispanic family stories, history, traditions and talents as tools for cultural transmission. For more information, send an email to lagente@flagstaffnuestrasraices.com
Experience the vibrant traditions of Mexican, Mexican American, and Latin X communities at the 21st Annual Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona! Join us for a weekend filled with color, culture, and celebration. Held in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raices, Celebraciones honors the spirit of Día de los Muertos with heartfelt remembrances and joyful festivities.
Enjoy cultural dances and music as you explore the brightly adorned ofrendas in the Jaime Major Golightly Courtyard, each a stunning display of love and memory. Discover unique arts and crafts from local vendors, savor delicious traditional foods, and deepen your understanding through cultural presentations. Mariachi Rubor Femenil, Arizona’s renowned all-female mariachi group, and Ballet Folklorico de Colores of Flagstaff will bring distinctive sounds and movement to the celebration. Children will delight inthe creativity of sugar skull decorating and face painting.
As the sun sets on Saturday, the courtyard transforms into a magical scene for Courtyard After Dark. Witness the glowing ofrendas under the night sky, indulge in sweet treats and beverages, and soak in the rich atmosphere.
Don’t miss this premier fall festival. Invite your friends and family, from this world and the next!
Celebraciones tickets are good for the entire weekend: $20 General Admission, $10 MNA members, $5 youth, kids age 9 and under free.
Purchase advance tickets for Saturday here and Sunday here!
LatinX Artists, Creators, Vendors! Interested in selling your work and creations at this vibrant fall festival? Send a message of interest to ctaillac@musnaz.org or call (928) 440-6480. Gracias por tu interés.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended our annual Summertime Tardeada on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 and made it a great success.
A special thanks to our supporters and sponsors who made this annual community event possible: Premier Sponsors Coconino County Board of Supervisors District 2 Jeronimo Vasquez, the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) and San Francisco de Asis Catholic Parish, along with sponsors AmigosNAZ, Barbara Arnold, Beaver Street Brewery, Dale Crick Purple Heart Chapter No. 793, Doherty Distribution — Mission Tortillas, Daniel Duran Family, Flagstaff Christian Fellowship, Flagstaff Findlay Toyota, Guadalupanas, La Fonda Restaurant, Lozano Mortuary, Mama B’s, Mike and Ronda’s The Place, Nackard Pepsi, Nestlé Purina, Norvel Owens Mortuary, Papa Ray’s Heating and Cooling and Walmart — Flagstaff East & West.
Also, thank you to this special community who helped break down tents, move tables and chairs at the end of this event.
Finally, a thank you to Armando Gonzalez for participating in our presentation honoring all our veterans. Very much appreciated.
— From the board members and supporters of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces
FLAGSTAFF — Threatening skies didn’t keep the crowd away when Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces celebrated its 9th annual “Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada — Mariachi and Folklórico Festival” on Aug. 10 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.
Nearly 400 visitors had the opportunity to enjoy the celebration with performances by the all-female Mariachi Rubor Femenil from Phoenix, Ballet Folklorico de Colores – Flagstaff, with dance music by Soul Persuasion from Phoenix.
Mariachi Rubor Femenil will be performing again in Flagstaff during the upcoming Celebraciones de la Gente Oct. 26, 27 at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
The Tardeada concluded promptly at 7 p.m. with a nearby lighting strike at the end of the Soul Persuasion performance. The Tardeada also included the annual Veterans recognition, games for adults and children, food and the return a classic car show.
This year’s Premier Sponsors were the Cococnino County Board of Supervisors, the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC). and San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church, with the support of a number of community groups.
The Museum of Northern Arizona and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces invite you to participate in the 21st annual Celebraciones de la Gente, a lively Day of the Dead Festival on Oct. 26, 27, 2024
Exhibitor booths will be open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, Oct. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024.
Please click here to download and fill out a vendor application before we are sold out. The deadline is Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. Send the completed application to ctaillac@musnaz.org or call (928) 440-6480
FLAGSTAFF — To celebrate and recognize Flagstaff’s Hispanic roots, Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces invites the public to attend its 9th annual “Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada — Mariachi and Folklórico Festival” from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 224 S. Kendrick St., Flagstaff.
The event is FREE, open to the public and has drawn upwards of 400 visitors in past years.
What is a Tardeada? It’s a vibrant afternoon festival and social dance celebrating Flagstaff’s Hispanic culture and community history.
The festival’s goal is to celebrate the legacy of Flagstaff’s Hispanic culture through entertainment, music, dance, art, food and exhibits. All veterans are encouraged to to attend so they can participate in the traditional group photo.
A raffle. Mexican and regular barbeque food will be sold as a fundraiser for the Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces’ Cultural Heritage Fund.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is a significant historic site because it was the pride and centerpiece of the Hispanic community when it was built in the late 1920s by Flagstaff Hispanic pioneer families, who had strong bonds to the church.
So for locals and visitors, escape triple-digit temperatures in the rest of the state, bring your lawn chairs and canopies and enjoy the cooler mountain breezes of Northern Arizona.
A Mariachi Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.
The Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces invite you to participate in the annual Celebraciones de la Gente, a lively Day of the Dead festival on October 26 & 27, 2024.
Exhibitor booths will be open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024.
FLAGSTAFF — Community members spent a lively evening dancing, enjoying bowls full of posole, participating and having a good time during the annual Cinco de Mayo Dance, featuring Los Alambrados, held at the American Legion Mark A. Moore Post 3 on Saturday, May 4, 2024.
FLAGSTAFF — The American Legion Auxiliary and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will present their annual Cinco de Mayo Dance, featuring Los Alambrados, from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at the American Legion Mark A. Moore Post 3, 204 W. Birch Ave., Flagstaff.
FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff Nuestras Raices & the Museum of Northern Arizona: 20thAnnual Celebraciones de la Gente has been selected as a 2024 Viola Awards Finalists for the Excellence in Collaboration category by Creative Flagstaff.
The winners of the category will be announced on March 23, 2024 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Flagstaff.
The 20th anniversary annual Celebraciones de la Gente — Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead festival was held Oct. 21, 22 at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
The event, a partnership between Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and the Museum of Northern Arizona, featured the return of the the ever-popular InTlanextli Tlacopan Aztec Fire Dancers, Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff, El Charro Bohemia, sugar skull and other workshops, and the display of nearly two dozen ofrendas/altars in the historic Jaime Golightly Courtyard.
Click here to see a slideshow of photos from the event.
Group photo featuring members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces at the 2023 Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
Members of In Tlanextli Tlacopan Aztec Fire Dancers performing at the 2023 Celebraciones de la Gente. Photos below by Frank X. Moraga.
A visitor learns about a family’s ofrenda/altar at the 2023 Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
family’s ofrenda/altar at the 2023 Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
Please see entire media release below
Story image: Klee Benally Performing during Tzonteyōtl Na’ach’ąąh (Resistance Art) a Diné & Xikan@ Collaboration.
Creative Flagstaff is pleased to announce the Finalists and Legacy Award Recipient for the 16th Annual Viola Awards. The Viola Awards celebrate excellence in the arts and sciences in Flagstaff, Arizona. 42 finalists are recognized across 10 categories, with some finalists being recognized in multiple categories. All finalists will be honored at the event on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Orpheum Theater in historic downtown Flagstaff.
Creative Flagstaff is honored to recognize Klee Benally as the 2024 The Babbitt Brothers Foundation Viola Legacy Award recipient. Klee passed away in December of 2023. During his life, he fought tirelessly in defense of the land, against injustices, and in support of indigenous communities which was the foundation for his creative practice and artistry. He was an Indigenous anarchist, visual and performing artist, writer, and musician. He published “No Spiritual Surrender: Indigenous Anarchy in Defense of the Sacred” in November 2023. He played with Blackfire, which he formed with his brother and sister when he was 14 until 2012 and he recorded a solo album in 2013. He also formed “Appropriation” around 2017 which released 1 album. Klee was heavily involved with organizations and projects such as; Indigenous Action, Taala Hooghan Info Shop, Kinlani Mutual Aid, and Out Your Backpack Media. He also created Burn the Fort, which is a game of Indigenous Resistance. Klee’s passion and creativity were endless, and he is an inspiration to us all.
This year nearly 150 nominations were sent to Creative Flagstaff from members of the Flagstaff Community. At the same time, nearly 30 members of the Flagstaff community applied to serve as a panelist for this year’s awards. Panelists have the important job of determining the finalists and winners of the event. Panels were assembled based on interest and expertise. Panels met in late January to select the official Finalists which were announced Friday, February 19, 2024.
FLAGSTAFF — More than 100 luminarias surrounded Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel as traditional music could be heard coming from inside during the annual Celebration Our Lady of Guadalupe held Dec. 12, 2023 in Flagstaff.
Participants to the Celebration met the previous evening at the chapel to take part in a procession to San Francisco de Asis Church on Route 66. After a scheduled brief stop at the Flagstaff Fire Dept.Station 2 for coffee and other drinks and sweets, participants walked up to the church watch a dance by Las Matachines de San Francisco de Asis, the Rosary (led by teens), a play and consecration to Mary.
At the celebration on Dec. 12 at the chapel, participants were greeted by the glow luminaries surrounding the chapel. placed by members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces.
The celebration included a Rosary, lead by Las Guadalupanas, followed by the presentation of Las Mañanitas, the Mass in English, with coffee, Mexican chocolate and pan dulce served in the church’s basement.
See photo slideshows and stories of previous Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebrations:
Remembering Our Culture & History 