The Alisal Center for Fine Arts, ACFA, debuted their 2022 Día de los Muertos Celebration bringing together the local Salinas community to enjoy the event. The center offers programming and workshops in theater, visual and public arts, music, and dance. ACFA partners with local school districts and selected sites through CHISPA. It collectively serves more than 500 participants each week and hosts events in the community that reach another 10,000 people annually.
Upon entering the Sherwood Hall venue guests were greeted with the beautiful smell of hundreds of fresh marigolds hanging from the ceiling and adorned on the altar. At the center of the room was the community created alter. Guests could view the locally made art.
Covering an entire wall, La Catrina was breathtaking and even more impressive was that this piece was made with only blue painter’s tape by Armando Franco. Many art pieces had special meaning by paying homage to recently passed loved ones.
The event opened with a moving Aztec dance performance by the Yaocuauhtle Cultural Dance with a precession into the theater. The event showcased the young talent from Alisal Center for Fine Arts, including the AUSD Mariachi Juvenil, Son Jaracho y Fandango, ACFA Performance Ensemble, and Folklorico from the Alma y Tradicion Apprentice. The Monterey County Pops complimented the performances by keeping the audience clapping by playing traditional songs like La Marcha Zacatecas and Jarabe Tapatio, to name a few.
Congratulations to the Alisal Center for the Fine Arts staff, volunteers, and students for such a fantastic event.
During the opening remarks, Javier Tamayo, Executive Director, and Stephani Ornelas, Program Manager, noted that ACFA plans to host more fundraising events featuring local talent. To support and learn more about Alisal Center for the Fine Arts, visit and follow:
- Website: https://www.alisalfinearts.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alisalarts
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alisalarts/