SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Technically Día de Los Muertos is on Nov. 1 and 2, but since it was on a weekday this year, people are planning to celebrate the Day of the Dead over the weekend.
The two biggest local celebrations are in Fayetteville at an art exhibit at Mount Sequoyah from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, and another event will be at the Shiloh Square from 12-7 p.m. the same day.
Silvia Merino, who helped to plan the celebration on Shiloh Square in Springdale, says everyone is invited to come to the event and remember their loved ones along with helping to better understand and celebrate Hispanic culture.
Saturday’s events in Springdale begin at noon and participants will take a 30-minute walk around the square, and then they will begin the celebration. There will be bands, food and much more.
Merino says while this day is for everyone to come and enjoy, their focus is on the kids and Hispanic heritage
“We want them to keep their roots, we want them to keep aligned with what we trust and believe and who we are, we want them to have an identity and the easiest way to have that is keeping up with traditions showing that to the people and trying to educate our own people and everybody on how or what that means for us,” Merino said.
Both events in Springdale and Fayetteville are free to the public and anyone is welcome to join in on the celebrations.