Day of the Dead in Philly area: Celebrations with deep Mexican roots

Every fall, in the shadow of Halloween, another world unfolds, with traditions originating in Mexico. It's the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos. Across the country and in Philadelphia, it's a time for live music, costumes, brightly painted sugar skulls, well-dressed skeletons, and elaborate altars covered with flickering candles, marigolds, and delicious food.

Day of the Dead celebrations and Halloween both take place about the same time of year, but whereas Halloween has a definite pop/commercial feeling to it, the Day of the Dead concerns culture and traditions, some of them very old. All through the holidays, roots sink deep in Mexican culture, and because of Philadelphia's expanding Latino population, Day of the Dead celebrations are likely to become more and more common.

"The celebration is one of the most important things we have in our culture," said Juan Carlos Romero, 37, an owner of Los Taquitos de Puebla on Ninth Street. "The Latino community in South Philly makes this celebration bigger every year, and people from different cultures . . . come to see our traditions."

Indigenous to Mexico, Día de los Muertos is now celebrated widely. Primarily from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, families gather to pray for and remember the dead, and, in a sense, celebrate life.

"It's something that I think transcends Christianity," said Magda Martinez, director of programs at the Fleisher Art Memorial, a major force behind Day of the Dead events in Philadelphia. "It's about honoring the fact that these people belong to you . . . that they're not completely gone, and that's a really different perspective."

Romero moved from Mexico City to South Philadelphia in 2002. "It's very important to have this celebration in Philadelphia," he said, "because some people feel alone when they come to this country. . . . They miss back home. So it's important to teach them our traditions."

Among those traditions are Day of the Dead bakery items and other treats. For authentic Mexican treats and pan de muerto, try Cafetería y Panadería Las Rosas Inc., 1712 S. Eighth St., open daily 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 215-551-1027. For Day of the Dead goodies: Eye's Gallery, 402 South St., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., 215-925-0193, www.eyesgallery.com.

Whatever your observance, it's a fine time to savor lively events along with some wise, mortality-accepting Mexican sayings that come with the holiday. A good one is Uno propone, Diós dispone, llega la Muerte y todo lo descompone - "One proposes, God disposes, Death comes and everything decomposes."

Standout events in the Philadelphia area include:

Mütter Museum. Day of the Dead Festivities. Traditional ofrendas (objects or food items to welcome the dead to the afterlife), sugar-cookie skull decorating, paper flower-making, face-painting, and more. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Information: 215-560-8564, muttermuseum.org/events.

Penn Museum, the Mexican Consulate in Philadelphia, and the Mexican Cultural Center. Day of the Dead Celebration. The fourth annual event includes pageantry and giant puppetry, music and dance, storytelling, papier mâché artistry, sugar skull and mask-making, face-painting, special food items (including pan de muerto buns and spicy hot chocolate), and more. Philadelphia artist and muralist Cesar Viveros (the artist behind the recent mural for Pope Francis) and Mexican Consulate personnel will team up to create the centerpiece of the event, a 9-by-15-foot altar dedicated to Mexican muralist Rufino Tamayo. Also included are performances by the colorful Ballet Folklorico Yaretzi, traditional Aztec dance troupe Cenzontle Cuicatl, and master mariachi crooner Pedro Villaseñor. Altar and costume contests. Free with museum admission. Half-price for those who come in costume. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 3260 South St. Information: 215-898-4000, www.penn.museum.

Fleisher Art Memorial. Fleisher's third Día de los Muertos Celebration includes an elaborate altarpiece in the historic sanctuary space. The night will feature an appearance by Calaca Flaca ("Skinny Skeleton"), a performance of Temple University dance professor Merián Soto's Para Mis Muertos, and performances by Cenzontle Cuicatl and Pedro Villaseñor. Free. 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Ninth and Ellsworth Streets Altar Celebration. Fleisher and Women Against Rape will create an altar to raise awareness of femicide and commemorate the unsolved murders and disappearances of women in Ciudad Juárez on the Mexican border. Cenzontle Cuicatl will perform, as well as neotraditional jarana-strumming band Son Revoltura. 719 Catharine St. Free. 4 to 7 p.m. Monday. Information: 215-922-3456, fleisher.org.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Día de los Muertos. Great Stair Hall Balcony. The event includes a community altar, a parade of costumed dancers, pop-up mini-tours, and traditional dance performances from Puebla, Mexico, by South Philly group San Mateo Carnavaleros. Free with admission. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Information: 215-763-8100, www.phillymuseum.org.

Casa Guanajuato/Casa de las Culturas Day of the Dead Candle Lighting, Kennett Square. Día de los Muertos. Live music, art, food. Candle-lighting at 6:30 p.m. Free. 5 to 8 p.m. Nov. 6. American Legion Hall, 208 E. State St., Kennett Square. Information: 610-444-8188, casagks.org.

csasko@philly.com