The 2023 Celebraciones de la Gente is supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional Premier Sponsors include Coconino County District 2 Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez and the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) and APS. Celebraciones presented in partnership with the Museum of Northern Arizona.

CLICK HERE to see www.AmigosNAZ.com photos from the 19th annual Celebraciones de la Gente held on Oct. 29, 30, 2022.

FLAGSTAFF — Sugar Skull Workshops online reservations are selling out for the 20th anniversary annual Celebraciones de la Gente — Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead festival at the Museum of Northern Arizona on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 22.

Sugar Skull Decorating – reservations required

Decorating sugar skulls is a favorite activity for kids and families during Celebraciones. Nuestras Raices makes the sugar skulls and provides frosting and decorations. Since this is a very popular event that always sells out, we require pre-registration. That way you know your child’s sugar skull is waiting for them and what time to arrive. You will also need to purchase admission tickets for Celebraciones.

Cost – $5

SOLD OUT — Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Saturday at 10:30.

Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Saturday at 12:00. 

Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Sunday at 10:30. 

Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Sunday at 12:00. 

Celebraciones de la Gente is a partnership between Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and the Museum of Northern Arizona, with generous funding of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces’ programming by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Coconino County District 2 Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez and the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC).

Celebraciones tickets are good for the entire weekend: $20 General Admission, $10 MNA members, $5 youth, kids age 9 and under free.

This year’s event features the return of the ever-popular InTlanextli Tlacopan Aztec Fire Dancers and Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff performing on both days of the festival in the Branigar/Chase Discovery Center, along with daily performances in the historic Jaime Golightly Courtyard by El Charro Bohemia.

Celebrate the history and culture of Mexican, Mexican American and Latin@ communities in Northern Arizona at this annual fall event, which will include music, dance, food and heartfelt remembrances.

The museum’s Jaime Golightly Courtyard will be transformed into a beautiful lit setting, with intricately cut papel picado (pierced paper) and lovely arranged ofrendas (altars) to welcome past loved ones to the party.

On Saturday evening, the courtyard will stay open into the night, as the full impact of the candlelit ofrendas can be enjoyed, along with Mexican treats and soulful strolling Mariachis. Don’t miss this fall festival. Invite your friends and family, from this world and the next!

Some of the scheduled events each day include sugar skull-making workshops in the Patio (reservations required), performances by Ballet Folkorico de Colores — Flagstaff, and presentations on the the “History of Mariachi Music.”

Celebraciones de la Gente will be held from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22.

The ever-moving Closing Ceremony (blessing of the altars/ofrendas) to be held at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 immediately followed by the festival attendees group photo.

The schedule includes: 

Saturday, October 21

10:00 Museum Opens

10:15-11:00 am – Ofrendas 101 presentation by Nuestras Raices

10:30 – Sugar Skull Workshop (Patio) (reservations required here)SORRY, SOLD OUT

11:00-12:00 pm –Musical perform by El Charro Bohemio in the Courtyard

11:30 am – Puppet Show in Discovery Room

11:30 am – Calaveritas Literarias Workshop in Gallery

12:00 – Sugar Skull Workshop (Patio) (reservations required here)

12:00-5:00 pm – Face painting in the Courtyard

1-2 pm – Dance Performance by Ballet Folklorico de Colores de Flagstaff 

1:00 – Sugar Skull Workshop (Patio) (reservations required here)

2:00-3:00 pm – The Musical Evolution of Mexico presentation and performance

3:30-4:30 pm – Aztec Fire Dancers (BCDC)

6:00-7:00pm – Musical performance by El Charro Bohemio in the Courtyard

All day in the Living Room – Silent Auction

Sunday, October 22

10:00 am – Celebraciones opens

10:15-11:00 am – Ofrendas 101 presentation by Nuestras Raices

10:30 am -11:30 am – Sugar Skull decorating (reservations required) 

11:00-1:00 pm – Musical perform by El Charro Bohemio in the Courtyard

11:30 am – Puppet Show in Discovery Room

11:30 am – Calaveritas Literarias Workshop in Gallery

12:00-1:00 pm –Sugar Skull decorating (reservations required) 

12:00-5:00 pm – Face painting in the Courtyard

1:00-2:00 pm – Dance Performance by Ballet Folklorico de Colores

2:00 – Musical Performance by Don Julio in the Courtyard

2:00-3:00 pm – The Musical Evolution of Mexico presentation and performance

3:30-4:30 pm – Aztec Fire Dancers

4:30 pm – Closing Ceremony in the Courtyard

All day in the Living Room – Silent Auction

The event will be held at:

Museum of Northern Arizona

3101 N Fort Valley Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

CLICK HERE to see photos from 2021 Celebraciones de la Gente

CLICK HERE to see photos from previous Celebraciones de la Gente

FLAGSTAFF — Celebraciones de la Gente, the annual Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead celebration, returned to the Museum of Northern Arizona on Oct. 23-24 with an appreciative crowd who strolled around the historic Jaime Golightly Courtyard to view family ofrendas / altars, view workshops on creating ofrendas, a presentation honoring the more than 400 people who died due to COVID-19 in Coconino County, dance performances by Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff and music by Mariachi Tradición de México from Tucson and Los Alambrados Flagstaff.

The 18th annual event, which was hosted by the Museum of Northern Arizona, in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, was presented virtually in 2020 due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’d like to thank everyone who helped make this celebration possible and to everyone who joined us yesterday and today to remember our family and friends!!,” museum officials stated on its Facebook site, which also featured a variety of photos and videos of the presentations.

A segment on the event was also aired this week on NAZ Today.

During the two-day event, museum’s Jaime Golightly Courtyard was transformed into a beautiful lit setting, with intricately cut papel picado (pierced paper) and lovely arrange ofrendas (altars) to welcome past loved ones to the party.

On Saturday evening the courtyard stayed open into the night, as the full impact of the candlelit ofrendas was be enjoyed, along with Mexican treats and soulful strolling Mariachis.

The Courtyard After Dark event on Oct. 23 included a candlelit ceremony honoring the memory of those who have lost their lives during the pandemic presented by members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, with opening remarks by Museum of Northern Arizona Executive Director Mary Kershaw.

Celebraciones concluded with the traditional blessing of the altars/offrendas closing ceremony.

Please click on link above for the annual traditional closing ceremony anniversary dance with Lupe and Loretta Velasco.