Idaho Falls Hispanic Chamber Committee hosts Día de los Muertos event

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - A Día de los Muertos event is being held at the Willard Arts Center in Idaho Falls Saturday, Nov. 2.

The free event to celebrate the Day of the Dead is hosted by the Idaho Falls Hispanic Chamber Committee. Hundreds of people are gathering to remember their ancestors and learn about the celebration.

Day of the Dead is celebrated in many European and Latin American countries, including Mexico.

"Instead of mourning [the dead], we rejoice with them. We decorate, we bring the food that they loved, and we play a lot of music, and we just want to remember them in a beautiful way," said Founder & CEO of Conéctate, Maria Alvarez. "It's like a Memorial Day in other countries."

One of the main traditions on Día de los Muertos is setting up ofrendas, or altars, to remember loved ones who have passed away. The ofrendas are decorated with pictures of the dead and some of the things they liked in life.

Local News 8 asked Alvarez why she thinks it's important to remember your family who has passed.

Alvarez said "I truly believe that, we all have to...be able to remember where we came from. I think remembering our ancestors helps us remember a lot of our traditions. That helps us remember a lot of our background. It's very important for us to maintain that alive and then pass it on to other generations."

The Día de los Muertos event goes until 8 p.m. The public is invited to stop by while they can.