Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma will host various events and activities as part of a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at the SRJC Petaluma campus located at 680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway.
The event will feature family-friendly activities, altars, crafts, food trucks, musical and dance performances, a theatrical performance, an informative lecture, art exhibit, and much more.
At noon, SRJC instructor Laura Larque will deliver a lecture entitled “Aztec Concept of Death: Universal Duality - Life and Death” in the Herold Mahoney Library.
At 1:30 p.m., Danza Azteca Coyolxauhqui, an Aztec dance group, will perform in the Rotary Plaza. A special musical performance from young music and dance group Windsor Bloco will follow at 2 p.m. Portuguese for block, “bloco” is a term referring to a popular neighborhood street band or group and refers to a style of music and dance originating in Brazil.
Later at 2:30 p.m., Ballet Folklórico of Petaluma Paquiyollotzin will perform dances emphasizing local Latin-American folk culture.
Finally, at 3:30 p.m., there will be a theatrical performance entitled “Pocho in the House: Bicultural Adventures of a Mexican-American” written and performed by former Petaluma resident Joe Voltierra. The performance will be followed by an audience question and answer discussion.
“Pocho in the House” is recommended for teenage and adult audiences. Some language and topics may not be appropriate for young children. Both the ballet folklórico and “Pocho in the House” performances will take place in the Carol L. Ellis Auditorium.
The Día de los Muertos gallery exhibit “Life and Death: Remembrance of Our Loved Ones” will feature artwork from SRJC Petaluma Puente Project students and is on display through Nov. 6 in the Mahoney Gallery.
In collaboration with the Petaluma Arts Center, SRJC Petaluma’s Día de los Muertos event is funded by a grant from the SRJC Foundation Randolph Newman Cultural Enrichment Endowment and by the SRJC Foundation Friends of Petaluma Campus Trust, Petaluma Campus Endowment.
Admission to the festival is free. Parking is $4 on campus.
For more information on SRJC’s Day of the Dead event, visit libguides.santarosa.edu/diadelosmuertos.
To learn more about Petaluma’s Day of the Dead celebration, go online to petalumaartscenter.org.
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