15th Annual "Dia de los Muertos" returns to Hollywood Forever Cemetery, November 1st

Photos & story by Karen Ostlund

15^th Annual Dia de los Muertos will feature 2014 Grammy Award Winner for Best Latin Rock Album “ La Santa Cecilia”, Mexican songstress Carla Morrison & songwriter Gaby Moreno.

                                                     

La Santa Cecilia

Hollywood Forever is proud to announce Univision’s Jackie Guerrido and Rick Quintero as this year’s hosts for the 15^th Annual Dia de los Muertos.

TV host and actress Jackie Guerrido is best known for her daily weather report on Univision’s Primer Impacto - as co-host is local traffic reporter Rick Quintero who can be seen giving the morning traffic report on Univision’s morning show Primera Edición and on Fox 11’s Good Day LA.

 Festivities will take place on Saturday, November 1^st, 2014 from 12pm until 12am at Hollywood  Forever located at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles.

Altar design by Ricardo Soltero

 The Hollywood Forever Cemetery is home to the oldest memorial park in Hollywood, since it opened in 1899. Hollywood Forever is located on 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, and it is the only cemetery in the country, which opens its gates and welcomes its surrounding community to commemorate El Dia de Los Muertos. 

The historical roots of this celebration go back to the pre-Hispanic cultures of Meso-America of the indigenous people, especially the Nahua, and others native to Mexico more than 3000 years.

 Indigenous people believed that the souls did not die, that they continued to live in Mictlan (Place of death) a special place for them to finally rest.

On the Day of the Dead, tradition holds that the dead return to earth to visit their living relatives. It is also believed that even if these relatives can’t see them, they can feel them.

It’s a way to come to terms with our mortality and become aware of the cycle of life and death.

Pink Horses is a Hispanic owned fashion company which specializes in red carpet and wedding gowns

In honor of its 15^th year Dia de los Muertos celebration, Hollywood Forever has partnered with Quinceañera Magazine for this special anniversary and is offering a very special young lady the opportunity to win a dress for her upcoming quinceañera sponsored by Paradise Bridal

 Quinceañera Magazine will be holding a casting to select Miss Quinceañera Cover Girl for their next issue and partake in a Quinceañera Pageant Show.  All girls with an upcoming quinceañera are encouraged to participate by registering on-site at the Quinceañera Magazine booth, November 1^st.

Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea

It wouldn’t be a quinceañera celebration without performances by some of the top female music artists rocking the main stage including Carla Morrison, Gaby Moreno, La Santa Cecilia, Los Cenzontles and Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea.  Main stage performances begin at sundown and continue throughout the night.      

Quinceañera “The Waltz”

 Sponsors of this years Dia de los Muertos include Vons, AT&T, Heineken and El Jimador Tequila.  Because safety is always top of mind, Hollywood Forever and El Jimador Tequila have partnered with Uber to offer a $25.00 discount for first-time Uber users.  To take advantage of this special offer, please visit: https://get.uber.com/go/ddlm2014 and enter code: ddlm2014.   

Additionally, Hollywood Forever wishes to thank Padrinos de Vestido y de Muñeca, Pink Horses, Padrinos de Zapatos, Fashionably Hurt and Padrinos de Pastel, April’s Cakes for their support of the Dia de los Muertos Quinceañera.

               

April's Cakes

 

 Admission to the event is $20 – children under 8 and seniors over 65 are FREE until 4pm. 

To pre-purchase tickets and avoid lines day of the event:hollywoodforever.ticketfly.com

Hourly schedule of stage performances at LA Day of the Dead 2014;

 ALTAR EXHIBITS 12pm - 12am
Winners announced at 7:30pm at Main Stage
AZTEC DANCES & RITUALS 12pm - 12am
Throughout the cemetery grounds
LACMA CHILDREN’S ART CENTER 12pm - 5pm
Make a Mask • Arts & Crafts • Face Painting
MAIN ENTRANCE Quinceañera “Blessing” 2pm
PROCESSION 2:15pm - The Path to The Fifth Sun
COSTUME CONTEST 2pm - 6pm
Photo booth - behind Cathedral Art Exhibit
Winner announced at 7:30pm at Main Stage
CATHEDRAL ART EXHIBIT 12pm - 12am
OFFICIAL ARTIST OF THE YEAR: German Rubio
ARTISTS: Alicia Garcia • Dario Glez • Erica Figueroa •
Esau Andrade • German Rubio • Gladis Alejandre •
Janet Figueroa • Kristen Johannesen • Krisztianna •
Lourdes Moreno • Luis Villanueva • Maricruz Sibaja •
Rene Ornelas • Sonia Fe

LA CATRINA STAGE 3:30pm - 9pm
MUSIC, THEATER & DANCE
3:30pm Quinceañera “Last Doll”
4:00pm Libre Movimiento “Túnel de Luz”
4:25pm Colectivo Teatro en Espiral
“Las Arañas Cumplen Años”
5:05pm Margarita Luna
5:40pm 3-19 Dance Art “Tango de la Catrina”
6:00pm Gabriela Bojórquez
6:35pm Libre Movimiento “Túnel de Luz”
6:55pm Colectivo Teatro en Espiral
“Las Arañas Cumplen Años”
7:35pm Margarita Luna
8:10pm 3-19 Dance Art “Tango de la Catrina”
8:30pm Gabriela Bojórquez
9:00pm STAGE CLOSES

EL FANDANGO EN SU ESPLENDOR STAGE 4pm - 12am
TRADITIONAL MUSIC FROM SOUTH EAST COAST OF MEXICO
MC: Gloria Arjona
4:00pm Ballet Xanaht de Fiacro Castro
4:30pm Ballet Tres Generaciones de Orange Grove
(Bailes de Tabasco)
5:15pm Conjunto Xi (Son Huasteco)
6:15pm Quinceañera “High Heels”
6:30pm Conjunto Jardín (Son Jarocho)
7:45pm Ballet Internacional de Guadalajara
8:15pm Along for the Ride (Latin Jazz Bossanova)
9:15pm Conjunto Tenocelomeh y el Ballet Xanaht
10:00pm Son de San Diego (Son Jarocho)
10:45pm Viento Callejero (Cumbia alternativa)
12:00am STAGE CLOSES

MUERTE Y TRADICIÓN STAGE 2:30pm - 11pm
MAIN STAGE - MUSIC & DANCE PERFORMANCES
MC’s: Jackie Guerrido & Rick Quintero
2:30pm Opening Ceremony
2:45pm Xilone - Quinceañera Aztec Blessing
3:00pm Folklorico dances by Princesa Donaji
4:00pm Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea
5:00pm Los Cenzontles
6:00pm Gaby Moreno
7:00pm Quinceañera “The Waltz” “Toast” “Cake”
7:30pm Announce Altar & Costume Contest Winners
8:00pm Aztec Ritual – The Legend of the Fifth Sun
8:30pm La Santa Cecilia
9:50pm Carla Morrisson
11:00pm STAGE CLOSES

 2014 Dia de los Muertos schedule :http://www.ladayofthedead.com/event-info/.  www.hollywoodforever.com and www.ladayofthedead.com