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[10/25] Preview: Dia De Los Muertos Festival at A. B. Cantu Pan-American Recreation Center

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Today the Dia De Los Muertos Festival will take place at Oswaldo A. B. Cantu Pan American Recreation Center. After an extraordinarily successful first year, the all-day event benefiting Easter Seals of Central Texas, is back for another round of family-friendly cultural activities and entertainment at the popular eastside community center best known for its Hillside Summer Concert series.

The musical lineup includes a wide variety of latino artists from various backgrounds and traditions on two different stages. Fans can look forward to mariachi, ballet folklorico, cumbias, Tejano (courtesy of Grammy Award winners A.B. Quintanilla & the Kumbia Kingz All-Starz) and more to celebrate the traditional Dia De Los Muertos holiday and raise funds and awareness for individuals with disabilities and special needs.

The schedule is subject to change, but here’s the lineup:

Hillside Stage
Grupo de Danza Mexica-chichimeca de Austin Aztec Dancers (Opening Ceremony) – 1:20-1:40 p.m.

Lesly Reynaga -2:00-2:40 p.m.

Mariachi Nueva Generación – 3:00-3:40 p.m.

Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklórico de Texas – 3:40-4:00 p.m.

Austin Samba School – 4:00-4:20p.m.

Las Monas – 4:00-4:20 p.m.

Main Stage
DJ Syko – 12:00-3:00 p.m.

Tiarra Girls – 4:40-5:30 p.m.

DJ Syko – 5:30-5:50 p.m.

Son de Rey – 6:00-6:40 p.m.

Quimikoz Del Son – 7:00-7:40 p.m.

DJ Syko – 7:40-8:30 p.m.

A.B. Quintanilla & The Kumbia Kings All Starz – 8:30-9:45 p.m.

There will also be events for the kids (piñata parties!) and a Dia De Los Muertos procession at 4 p.m.

Long story short: A great event filled with family fun, pageantry, culture, tradition, and of course, music. Lots of cumbia this year not only from ABQ and crew, but also from DFW’s own Quimikoz Del Son (a group to watch, in my opinion).

The A.B. Cantu Pan-American Recreation Center is located at 2100 E. 3rd Street, at 3rd and Robert Martinez Jr. Streets in East Austin. Tickets are $20 at the gate, and children under 12 are free with a paid adult. All ages are welcome. VIP passes are $55 for those 21+. For more information, visit austindiadelosmuertos.com or follow the Facebook event here.

Mexic-Arte Museum calls for volunteers and parade participants for annual Viva La Vida festival

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Viva La Vida

This week Mexic-Arte Museum announced a call for volunteers and parade participants for our 31st annual Day of the Dead Festival, Viva La Vida. For Viva la Vida 2014, the museum anticipates over 5,000 visitors and will host artists, musicians, and various cultural groups.

The event is Austin’s largest and longest running Day of the Dead festival. Viav La Vida includes the famous Dia de los Muertos parade, which travels an entire mile–from the historic east side to the museum. Parade staging will begin at 11am on 6th street (between Chicon and Comal).

This year’s festival will be held on Oct. 18 from Noon-9p .m. The new location for this year’s festival will be held at the Northwest Corner of Congress and 4th Street (100 4th St.) in downtown Austin. The event will be co-hosted by the City of Austin.

Volunteer positions are open in all areas of the festival, all day long! To register for a volunteer shift, please visit sign up here. To participate in the parade, register here. Visit the museum Facebook page to look at last year’s photos here.

[10/19] Preview: Easter Seals Día De Los Muertos Fest at Fiesta Gardens

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Dia De Los MuertosToday is the day a new Día tradition begins in Austin as Easter Seals Central Texas presents its first annual Día de los Muertos Festival, to be held from Noon until 11:00 p.m. at Fiesta Gardens. This unique festival features a full day Dia los Muertos cultural experience with live music, performances, art, costume contest, food and drink. The festival brings together a dynamic blend of the Austin musical landscape with vibrant Dia de los Muertos traditions. Proceeds will benefit Easter Seals Central Texas’ mission of providing exceptional services to people with disabilities.

The event features Tejano inspired musical performances by artists including Little Joe y La Familia, Del Castillo, Los Texmaniacs featuring Augie Meyer, Flaco Jimenez and Rick Trevino, DaHeBeGeBees, Los Autenticos, Dale Watson and more. The festival is also proud to celebrate the 73rd birthday of Grammy winner, Jose Maria De Leon Hernandez “Little Joe,” a legend in Tejano music and leader of the band Little Joe y la Familia.

The festival features fun and excitement for the entire family as well as a Ni Zone with safe entertainment and activities for children of all ages and abilities. There will also be a Los Muertos costume parade, face painting in traditional styles for all ages, commemorative altars by local artists and merchandise evoking the spirit of the holiday.

The event benefits Easter Seals Central Texas which has served the Central Texas area since 1937. Denise Reams White, Vice President of Development says, “We are excited to engage with the Austin community around this exciting cultural event to raise money for our important mission. We look forward to growing it into a uniquely Austin yearly festival.”

Currently, Easter Seals Central Texas serves approximately 7,000 people in 22 Texas counties and provides in excess of $150,000 in uncompensated care to the local Central Texas area each year. Services are focused into multiple areas of care ranging from birth to advanced age including outpatient medical rehabilitation, workforce development and community and housing services.

General admission tickets are $25 and VIP tickets are $55. For more information on Día de los Muertos Festival, Easter Seals Central Texas or to purchase event tickets, visit http://austindiadelosmuertos.com/.

‘Creating La Muerte’: Jose Guadalupe Posada 100th Anniversary & Community Altars open at Mexic-Arte

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Jose Guadalupe Posada created legendary calaveras (skeleton) figures and the popular la catrina (elegant skeleton) image largely associated with the Latin American holiday Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
Jose Guadalupe Posada created legendary calaveras (skeleton) figures and the popular la catrina (elegant skeleton) image largely associated with the Latin American holiday Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Creating la Muerte in conjuction with community altars will be opening up Sept. 20 at Mexic-Arte Museum and lasting until Nov. 24. This is a commemorative exhibition which will be celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Jose Guadalupe Posada. The exhibition will be including original broadsides from the Mexic-Arte’s Museum permanent collection as well as video installations from Mexico’s Museo Nacional de Art. Accompanying the exhibition will be community altars from various members of the community including local artists. There will be a special altar to honor Posada.

Jose Guadalupe Posada was a Mexican political cartoonist and illustrator who was born in 1852 in Aguascalientes, Mexico and died in the year 1913. He had his works published in various newspapers. Some of his best known works are calaveras (skeletons) and la Calavera de la Catrina (elegant skeleton).

Originally his works works were to make religious or political points, but are now more closely associated with el Día de los Muertos. El Día de los Muertos, or Day of The Dead, is celebrated in Latin American countries on Nov. 1 and 2. Family members create altars with offerings for the return of loved ones. Offerings on the altar include things such as the dead’s favorite food and drinks as well as memorabilia. Traditionally the altars were private matters, but el Día de los Muertos has evolved into a celebrated holiday and one where the artistic expression through the altars has expanded to involve the larger community.

The opening reception of the exhibition will be on Sept. 20 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is $10 per person and free for members. Regular admission is $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and students, and $1 for children 12 and under. Admission is free on Sundays and for members. Since its inception in 1884, Mexic-Arte museum has produced and presented cultural and educational programs in Texas and has played an active part in cultural enrichment and education through the presentation of tradition contemporary Mexican, Latino and Latin American art and culture. The museum was declared the “Official Mexican and Mexican American Museum of Texas” in 2003 by the State of Texas. For more information visit their website for call 512-480-9373.

[11/1] La Santa Cecilia & Chicano Batman at Flamingo Cantina

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East L.A. is taking over Flamingo Cantina this Thursday, November 1, for Dia de los Muertos. Two of the best Latin Alternative bands in the country will share the stage for one incredible night of live music. Attendees will enjoy the psych-rock meets tropicalia stylings of Chicano Batman and the Latin roots rock vibe of headliners La Santa Cecilia.

Chicano Batman’s music is inspired by early ’70s Latino-American soul, ’60s Brazilian Tropicalia, cumbias and psychedelic music. The vintage ruffled tuxedo-clad quartet from are touring in support of their new four-track EP Joven Navegante. Chicano Batman perform at 10 p.m.

Fronted by the dynamic “La Marisoul,” headliners La Santa Cecilia bring together traditional Mexican folk music with Latin soul you can dance to. Think Linda Ronstadt singing for a funkier version of  Texas Tornados. The Latin Grammy nominated group is no stranger to Austin as they drew a large crowd at this year’s Pachanga Fest in May and again in August at Flamingo Cantina.

Flamingo Cantina is located at 515 East 6th Street. Doors open at 9 p.m. Cover is $7. 21+ welcome.

Mexic-Arte Museum celebrates 29th annual Viva La Vida Festival

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Mexic-Arte Museum is dedicated to the education and promotion of traditional contemporary Mexican and Latin American art and culture. For almost three decades, the museum has presented and produced cultural and educational programs for communities in Texas. Recognized for their unique and cultural contributions as well as being one of the first museums in the U.S. to present Latino art, the museum was designated as the official Mexican and Mexican-American Art Museum of Texas in 2003.

With El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the Latin American holiday that commemorates the deceased through religious services, festivals and altars, quickly approaching, Mexic-Arte Museum will present the 29th annual Viva La Vida Festival on October 20. The event will feature Day of the Dead themed exhibits such as Elements of Death, a multimedia exhibit that presents the transitional emotional states associated with death, and community altars decorated with the deceased memorabilia and their favorite food. Attendees will also be able to enjoy live music, traditional food from local restaurants, hands-on activities and artist demonstrations.

The celebration will be held from 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. on October 20 at Mexic-Arte Museum located at 419 Congress Ave. Live music by DJ Chorizo Funk at 5 p.m. and El Tule at 8.pm. will also accompany the day’s entertainment and educational events. Although there won’t be a grand procession this year, attendees can still dress up for the costume contest at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free all day for children 12 and under and museum members. Admission is free for all from 10 a.m.- 1p.m. From 1 p.m.- 10 p.m. admission for adults will be $5. For more information visit the Facebook event page here.