{"id":348081,"date":"2025-11-01T13:43:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T13:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/348081\/"},"modified":"2025-11-01T13:43:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T13:43:15","slug":"some-dia-de-los-muertos-festivies-are-canceled-others-march-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/348081\/","title":{"rendered":"Some D\u00eda de los Muertos festivies are canceled, others march forward"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In Mexico and parts of Central America, D\u00eda de los Muertos is regarded<\/a> as a day to commemorate and celebrate departed family and friends.<\/p>\n

For generations, Greater Southern California has joined the tradition<\/a> with altars, Aztec dances and displays of marigolds in late October to early November. The day to honor the dead also has served as a day of gathering among the living.<\/p>\n

However, some celebrations are being reconsidered because of fears that participants may get caught in deportation raids executed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.<\/p>\n

This week the Department of Homeland Security announced it had deported more than half a million undocumented people<\/a> since the Trump Administration took over in January. More than 2 million people have left the nation overall, the department said.<\/p>\n

With raids continuing, some organizers of this weekend\u2019s D\u00eda de los Muertos events are moving ahead with celebrations, while others have canceled them. <\/p>\n

Times reporters spoke with event organizers to learn what they\u2019re doing differently. <\/p>\n

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Cancellation is the policy<\/p>\n

My colleague Suhauna Hussain<\/a> reported in mid-September that Long Beach was nixing its annual parade<\/a>, which drew sizable crowds in the past.<\/p>\n

The event was canceled at the request of City Councilmember Mary Zendejas \u201cout of an abundance of caution,\u201d according to city spokesperson Kevin Lee, because it\u2019s \u201ca large and very public outdoor event.\u201d Officials were not aware of any targeted federal enforcement activity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis decision did not come lightly,\u201d Zendejas and the city said in statements. The decision addresses \u201cgenuine fears raised by community members, especially those who may face the possibility of sudden and indiscriminate federal enforcement actions that undermine the sense of security necessary to participate fully in public life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roberto Carlos Lemus, a marketer who brought food trucks and other vendors to the festival last year, called the cancellation \u201cvery sad.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone\u2019s very sad about the situation. D\u00eda de los Muertos has been one of the largest celebrations for a very long time, and the city has done a great job putting it on,\u201d Lemus told The Times. \u201cUnfortunately, with Latinos being kidnapped and attacked by ICE and the current administration, I do understand why they made the decision that they made.\u201d<\/p>\n

The action was mirrored in other places. Santa Barbara\u2019s Museum of Contemporary Art canceled its own parade<\/a> because the \u201cthreat to undocumented families remains very real<\/a>.\u201d In Northern California, organizations in Berkeley<\/a> and Eureka<\/a> also canceled celebrations for similar reasons.<\/p>\n

Moving ahead<\/p>\n

Others are not letting the immigration raids interfere with the celebration.<\/p>\n

Last year, tens of thousands of visitors patronized Division 9 Gallery\u2019s Day of the Dead<\/a> celebration in downtown Riverside. This year\u2019s free two-day event will feature Aztec dancers, a pageant, processions, Lucha Libre wrestlers and altars \u2014 the traditional stands along with ofrendras placed inside classic cars \u2014 on Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n

The event, located on Market Street between University Avenue and 14th Street, continues to grow in popularity, organizer Cosm\u00e9 Cordova said.<\/p>\n

Cordova said he\u2019s not sure if there will be 60 altars, as was the case last year, or if 45,000 people will attend Saturday, the most popular of the two days.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of what\u2019s going on, people are afraid,\u201d he said. \u201cBut we\u2019re not canceling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cordova said he\u2019s hired security and noted that Riverside police and the mayor will be present.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re working with the city and others to make sure everything is going to be good,\u201d Cordova said. \u201cThis is an event that the community comes out for and I\u2019m not concerned about anyone breaking it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The week\u2019s biggest stories \"Gladstone's <\/a> <\/p>\n

Gladstone\u2019s Malibu, an iconic dining landmark, pictured partially smoking from the Palisades Fire on Jan. 8, 2025.<\/p>\n

(Connor Sheets\/Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Palisades Fire investigationDodgers World Series coverageTrump Administration polices and reactionsCrime, courts and policingMore big storiesThis week\u2019s must-readMore great readsFor your weekend \"Treebones <\/a> <\/p>\n

(Christopher Reynolds \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n

Going outStaying in<\/p>\n

Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team<\/b><\/p>\n

Jim Rainey, staff writer
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew J. Campa, reporter
Hugo Mart\u00edn, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters<\/p>\n

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com<\/a>. Check our top stories<\/a>, topics<\/a> and the latest articles<\/a> on latimes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n