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Sonoma Family Life Magazine

Honor the Ancestors

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) sees the lives of the departed as something to celebrate as well as mourn. Hence the bright colors of the art, costumes, and ofrendas (altars) associated with the Mexican holiday. Join in this vibrant display of life at the El Día de los Muertos celebration at Santa Rosa Junior College’s Petaluma campus. See Ballet Folklórico’s and Windsor Bloco’s traditional dances; decorate sugar skulls; view screenings of Disney Pixar’s Coco and, of course, partake in plenty of food. This free event will be held on October 20, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (See dia.santarosa.edu for a schedule of events.) Other local celebrations of the holiday include a Day of the Dead art series for ages 5–12, held every Monday in October at the Petaluma Regional Library in Petaluma, and a Sugar Skull Decorating/ Elaboración de calaveras de azúcar class on October 20, 10:30 a.m.–noon, at the Windsor Regional Library in Windsor. There will also be a Día de los Muertos celebration on October 27, 2–4 p.m., at Rohnert Park–Cotati Regional Library in Rohnert Park. Go to sonomalibrary.org for details.