Día de los Muertos

presented by Hospice Giving Foundation, Hartnell College, and the City of Salinas

From 2020-2025, Hospice Giving Foundation was proud to host Salinas’ Día de los Muertos celebration in partnership with Hartnell College, bringing our community together each fall for a procession, ofrendas, and an evening of remembrance, culture, and connection.

In 2026, we are proud to pass the torch to the City of Salinas, who will carry this beloved tradition forward alongside the Salinas Chamber of Commerce and our community’s artists and cultural leaders. We could not be prouder to support this next chapter. Día de los Muertos has always been bigger than any one organization; it belongs to this community and we’re honored to have helped build its foundation in Salinas.

As part of that same spirit of partnership, Hospice Giving Foundation was proud to serve as presenting sponsor of the Alebrijes & Nahuales exhibit, on display August through September 2026, celebrating the vibrant folk art traditions that bring Día de los Muertos to life.

Thank you to Hartnell College, Hijos del Sol Arts Productions, the City of Salinas, the Salinas Chamber of Commerce, and the many community partners who have made this tradition possible year after year. This event is a beautiful and tradition-filled way to learn to accept death, honor those we love, and share that love with our community — and we’re grateful to have been part of its story.

HOW IS DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS CELEBRATED?

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a tradition mainly represented in Mexico. Día de los Muertos has a special significance because it’s the day we remember our deceased loved ones.

This tradition has its origins in pre-Hispanic times, through ceremonies that were performed for the death of a person. Since before the arrival of the Spanish people, the cult of death was one of the basic elements of Hispanic culture, and remains so to this day. The ritual consisted of burying a deceased body in a mat while family members celebrated with the idea of guiding them to their destination. The indigenous vision prevails and implies the temporary return of the souls of the deceased, because there is a belief that they return home to live with their families through the altars placed in their honor.

In Mexican territories, Día de los Muertos is celebrated with great devotion and certain differences depending on which state or region they are in. However, all the elements that are used to honor the dead are presented in the ofrendas, or altars, for Día de los Muertos. The altars are a colorful ritual that are decorated with sugar skulls, candles, chocolate, amaranth, marigolds, sweet bread (pan de muerto), decorative paper banners (papel picado), photos of all the loved ones who have passed, and some of their favorite objects or dishes.

Thank you to the Consulate General of Mexico in San José for their contribution to this description.