Brittni Young / Staff Writer

The memories of loved ones lost will be celebrated at this year’s Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival Friday, Oct. 28 from 4 p.m. to midnight at the 400 and 500 blocks of Starr Street in Downtown.

Elektra Art Axis Tattoo, K Space Contemporary, Corpus Christi Downtown Management, and the House of Rock have worked together to organize the Fifth Annual Dia De Los Muertos Festival celebrating the traditional Mexican holiday with the Coastal Bend.

A parade will make its way Downtown to the community altar at the start of the festival to unveil a mural by artists Ricardo Ruiz, Gerald Lopez, Jimmy Pena, Ricky Ruiz and Day Wheeler.

Dia De Los Muertos is a traditional Mexican holiday during which people come together to remember and celebrate loved ones who have died. Traditional activities of the holiday include baking pan de muerto, traditional sweetbread, making sugar skulls and creating ofrendas (altars) in remembrance of loved ones.

Corpus Christi will take part in celebrating the holiday by allowing guests to participate in various activities for all ages. Activities include the extravagancia de piñatas  contest for the best piñata in town, students from Kindergarten to 12th grade will be competing  for cash awards to be used for classroom supplies, all sponsored by NuStar Energy.

“This is the first year officially that the festival will be extending to the House of Rock and we have donated our parking lot for the kids’ activities area,” said Casey Lain, coordinator with the House of Rock.

With the haunting holiday of Halloween approaching, guests are encouraged to come and show off their costumes and enter the costume contest to win the Best Costume award and other door prizes.

Folkflorico dancers will spin their way onto the stage provided by the House of Rock in their bright, vividly colored and patterned dresses and DMC’s Mariachi Band will play Mexican folk songs such as “La Bamba,” “Cumbia De Los Muertos,” “La Bruja” and others, both in the parade and on the stage outside of The House of Rock venue.

“We have held our own Dia De Los Muertos concerts here on campus for the last three years and we decided that we should just join forces for the first time as a part of the Downtown festival,” said Mariachi Band Director Darrel Brown.

Corpus Christi artists will be selling their Dia De Los Muertos-inspired artwork including paintings, sketches and handcrafted jewelry and the House of Rock will host the official after-party at midnight.

The after-party will feature musical entertainment from the Sonidos Del Barrio band and a $5 cover charge ensures entry to the party.