Where to Celebrate Day of the Dead in Denver

Still want to live it up at a Día de los Muertos celebration? Although the official dates for Día de los Muertos are November 1-2 — coinciding with All Saints Day — the celebrations started early along the Front Range, and they’re continuing well into November.

The Day of the Dead is a tradition that dates back around 3,000 years in Latin America; Mesoamerican cultures such as the Aztec, Toltec, Quechua, Mapuche and others hold a cyclical view of the universe in which death is an integral part of life. The dead are still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit, and welcomed back to Earth during Día de los Muertos.

Here in Denver, of course, Day of the Dead has morphed from a cultural celebration to an excuse for an arty party that’s completely separate from Halloween. But there are also ongoing exhibits you can see still see through the week, as well as more events this coming weekend that align with First Friday.

Here’s where things could get lively with Day of the Dead celebrations:

Ongoing

Genesis Gallery: Leyendas De Mis Abuelos
Through Friday, November 7; Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lakewood United Methodist Church,1390 Brentwood, Lakewood
Genesis Gallery’s Young Curator series is hosting Leyndas De Mis Abuelos, featuring works from Mexican paper mache artist Carlos Lecanda’s collection “Las Catrinas,” as well as over fifteen young and emerging artists. There will be a family-friendly closing reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, November 7.

Hearts Do Not Forget: El Corazón Nunca Ovida
Through Saturday, November 15, open Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
CHAC Gallery on Santa Fe, 834 Santa Fe Drive
Sonia Del Real and Shay Guerrero curated this show. “The heart remembers in ways the mind cannot. While names may fade and photographs may curl at the edges, love leaves an imprint that endures. Our joys, our sorrows, our laughter, and our tears, all of it is carried forward in the rhythm of our beating hearts. Hearts do not forget,” says Del Real.

Xochimilco: Works by Eduardo Robledo Tomero
Through March 22
Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York Street
Step into a world inhabited by animal spirit guides, shamans who can manipulate the weather and farmers who till both soil and spirit. Xochimilco: Works by Eduardo Robledo Tomero, which opened October 11 at the Denver Botanic Gardens, highlights the complex ties that bind Mexican culture to the natural world through both Indigenous and European beliefs. Robledo’s artworks draw on cultural traditions from his hometown of Xochimilco, as well as his own personal experiences; he’s co-founder of the Lugar de huida gallery, a space dedicating to showcasing Mexican printmakers.

This week

Silverthorne Día de los Muertos
Friday, November 7, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Silverthorne Pavilion, 400 Blue River Parkway, Silverthorne
Silverthorne will celebrate the meaning of Día de los Muertos while promoting its own Latine community. There will be face painting, live music by Mariachi Las Dahlias, baile folklorico dancing, a local mercado, crafts for kids and a piñata, along with food from La Perla and traditional treats like champurrado and pan de muerto. A community altar and oftenda built by local artist Santiago Vera will also become part of the First Friday celebration. Contributions and a portion of event proceeds will benefit Mountain Dreamers, which provides grassroots advocacy and resources for immigrants and their families.

Muertos en Westwood Street Festival
Friday, November 7, 6 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, November 8, noon to 8 p.m., and Sunday, November 9, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Westwood neighborhood
After a month of Day of the Dead workshops, Denver’s Westwood neighborhood is hosting its third annual Muertos street festival, a three-day community celebration of life, death,and resilience. This year’s events focus on migration, remembering those we’ve lost and the collective strength of the community. “Migration is being criminalized and man-made borders are dividing us,” say the organizers. “Muertos en Westwood is meant to be a space to honor the journeys that shape us — loss and remembrance, life and death, tradition and transformation.” There will be art installations, family-friendly activities, live enrertainment and plenty of food.

Youth Art Show~ Dia de Los Muertos
Friday, November 7, 5 to 9 p.m
CHAC Gallery, 40 West 7060 West 16^th Avenue, Lakewood
The Youth Art Show dedicated to Day of the Dead, featuring all youth artists and curated by Felipe Dominguez, opens November 7 at CHAC in 40 West, where it runs through November 22. The opening reception will include hot chocolate and a family art project. This is also the Día de Los Muertos celebration for the 40 West Arts District, so there will be a traditional Aztec dancer group, Huitzilopochtli, performing at 7:30 p.m. and leading a processional.

First Friday Dia do Los Muertos
Friday, November 7, 5 to 10 p.m.
Denver Arts Society, 734 Santa Fe Drive
The opening reception for this exhibit with original artwork by 150 Colorado artists will include Enchanted Face Painting by Eva, along with performances by Surasteros, Alexa Luevano, Aztec Dancers, Grupo de la Como La and Naked Dawn. And there will be DJs in the Tree House: Zobain, MOOSGH, eSonny Masicampo and Austin & Ryan.

Dia de Los Muertos at Art District on Santa Fe Celebration and Processional
Friday, November 7, 6 to 10 p.m.
CHAC Gallery, 834 Santa Fe Drive
Day of the Dead festivities in Denver wrap up with the annual processional along Santa Fe Drive on the First Friday of November.

What did we miss? Send information to editorial@westword.com.