Dia de Los Muertos Returns to Town Center Mall

On the second floor of the Santa Maria Town Center Mall, next to Macy’s, is an unusual temporary store space filled with colorful reminders of the dearly departed.

“Its a tradition that is celebrated every year”, says volunteer Gina Rodriguez, “Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a time to honor those who have gone before us.”

Family members spent hours preparing the traditional altars to their loved ones that include photographs, clothes, favorite food or drink and other items associated with the departed.

Marigold flowers abound in keeping with the Dia de Los Muertos tradition.

Local non-profit group MASCARA is behind the annual public display at the Town Center Mall.

“Its a walking history, its just not a big festival, each time you look at it you get something different from each altar”, Rodriguez says, “this year we’re dedicating it to those youth that have died, unfortunately we have a number of them, distracted drivers, gang violence, shootings and so our event is dedicated to those.”

In one corner is an elaborate altar to Francisco “Franky” Solorio, who was killed in a shark attack at Surf Beach west of Lompoc last year, that includes his surfboard.

There’s also an altar to fallen Marine Joseph Heredia killed in Iraq in 2004 and to other family members who died from natural or other causes.

“It is worth this time and effort because working with each and every one of these families that put so many hours into this, it just spreads out to the community”, Rodriguez says, “so yes, its important to the family but in another way it just goes out to the community.”

But altars to young people who lost their lives in tragic circumstances clearly stand out.

“Don’t cry because she’s in heaven”, says local artist and MASCARA volunteer Esperanza Nunez about the visual tributes, “its something that we have to remember, its beautiful because the spirit of them is here, its a tradition.”

“Its happiness because we honor them, we bring them alive”, Nunez says, “my mom used to love e Coca-Cola, so I have this for her, it reminds me that her spirit is here.”

The Dia de Los Muertos altars will remain at the Santa Maria Town Center Mall until Monday.