Downtown Santa Barbara was filled with booming music, lively dancers, and the scent of incense on Sunday afternoon for a Día de los Muertos procession. The event marked the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara’s (MCASB) third Calenda, a celebration of the Mexican holiday dedicated to honoring loved ones who have passed away. Large groups of community members gathered on both sides of the sidewalk along State Street to watch the performers as they made their way from the Santa Barbara Museum of Art to De La Guerra Plaza.
The energetic procession showcased traditional music and dances from the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, featuring almost a dozen cultural groups. MCASB Executive Director Dalia Garcia had previously expressed particular excitement about welcoming Los Diablos de la Costa to this year’s celebration. These dancers represent the Afro-Indigenous community of Oaxaca and serve as a reminder of the survival and indomitable spirit of people who have maintained their heritage and continue to honor their ancestors, Garcia stated. The performers from Los Diablos de la Costa wore horned masks with long facial hair as they danced through the streets.
Another group, Danza de los Diablos, also wore similar horned masks, with some featuring snakes protruding from their skull masks, and snapped whips on the concrete ground. This group was a favorite for Ashley Macias, a Lompoc resident who attended the Calenda event for the first time. Macias remarked that the experience made her feel "empowered" and emphasized its traditional nature. The Oaxaca Creations Monos de Calenda, which featured large papier-mâché puppets towering over attendees, was also a crowd favorite. Parade spectator Dana Loughlin, who attends each year, noted that her children particularly enjoy the giant figures.
Once the extensive procession concluded its route, a small market offering food and craft booths was set up at Casa de la Guerra. Employees at various stores along State Street were observed watching the lively procession from their storefront windows. Paola Cruz, a parade attendee who traveled from Los Angeles to visit her sister, expressed excitement about the diverse groups and the event's focus on the Mexican holiday. Cruz commented on the significance of the event in the current political climate, noting that participants "are not afraid to show who we are." Orange County residents Dominique Dibernardo and Travis Barrett, who encountered the waiting crowds during their visit to Santa Barbara, decided to join and enjoyed seeing other cultures’ celebrations.
This year's Calenda marked a return for the MCASB after the museum had paused its celebrations last year due to concerns over federal immigration enforcement activity. Executive Director Dalia Garcia confirmed that such fears still exist this year, but described the return as a "deliberate act of cultural specificity and resistance." The procession took place amidst a surge of federal immigration enforcement activity across the county, which the local immigrant activist group 805UndocuFund has linked to an alleged statewide operation. Although Día de los Muertos itself is traditionally observed in early November, community members celebrated the holiday on Sunday. People traditionally honor the holiday by creating ofrendas, which are altars adorned with photos of loved ones, flowers, and foods or trinkets the individual enjoyed during their lifetime. Earlier on Sunday, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art also hosted a free family day for its 37th celebration of the Mexican holiday, which included altar displays and various art activities.
