[People celebrate Día de los Muertos in San Francisco. Photo Credit: Rylie Choe]

This year, San Francisco held its annual Día de los Muertos event on November 1st at Yerba Buena Gardens.

The celebration brought together hundreds of families, artists, students, and members of the community to honor their loved ones who had passed away.  

Yerba Buena Gardens, one of this city’s most cherished cultural landmarks, was transformed into a vibrant hub of altars, music, and storytelling in an atmosphere both emotional and, surprisingly, hopeful for most. 

Throughout the gardens were dozens of altars designed by area artists, complete with marigold flowers, candles, and things like sugar skulls.

Many of the altars also featured framed photographs of ancestors, a nod to the rich heritage of the Mexican tradition.

Organizers said that this year’s event was focused on community and healing, and this was reflected in the performances by the acts at the event. 

Grupos de danza folklórica performed in colorful outfits, spinning around in wide circles that drew large crowds and excited cheers from kids and teens who said they had never seen the dances up close before.

Visitors meandered down the winding garden pathways, pausing to admire altars to family members, and were able to speak to community elders and activists whose work has helped to shape San Francisco.

Many festival-goers left little trinkets like flowers and handwritten notes on the altars, even if they didn’t have a personal connection to the people that had passed away.

Marisol Reyes, the event organizer, emphasized that the celebration was to remind people that grief and joy are not mutually exclusive, and this community was to help those who have lost people close to them to feel a little more loved and connected. 

She believes this year’s turnout reflected how much people were craving connection after months of stressful news and uncertainty.

The event was even an eye-opener for those who were seeing the altars for the very first time.

“It was my first time seeing the altars in person, and I didn’t realize how meaningful they were,” said Colin Knight, a high school student visiting from out of town.

He concluded by saying that the mix of sadness and celebration created a feeling that was “weird but powerful,” and he wished more teenagers knew about this tradition in school.

Furthermore, several installations were created by local artists in conjunction with nonprofits such as the Mission Cultural Center. Their works explored notions of identity, memory, and resilience within the Latino community.

Artists expressed their hope that people would reflect on their own families and stories when viewing their altars and artwork. 

Some altars reflected international events that ranged from conflicts on foreign soil, to climate-related tragedies, recognizing the effects that extend across borders and affect communities far beyond San Francisco.

As the event in the garden reached the early evening, the space was calm and reflective against the usual hustle and bustle of city life.

Volunteers who helped to set up the altars expressed hopes that visitors would leave feeling comforted rather than sad.

As the event drew to a close, many attendees expressed that they were already looking forward to next year’s gathering, hoping that it continues to bring more shared culture and community to San Francisco.