A Day of the Dead festival for the whole city!

 

The Solidaridad municipal government and their Direction of Culture, along with the DIF (government’s system for Integral Family Development) will be hosting their first Day of the Dead festival this year. Held this October 31 and November 1, the event is called “Hanal Pixan 2015”, the name of the region’s Mayan Day of the Dead holiday, and it will be in Plaza 28 de Julio right by the City Hall.

 

The event will combine dance, theater, music, Day of the Dead altar contests, “calaverita” poems and many other family-oriented cultural activities to highlight the traditions of this incredible holiday. Over 50 artists and 12 performance groups will join the festival, as well as face-painting stations, photos with traditional Day of the Dead characters, and altars from all over the country. Playa del Carmen residents and visitors will have the opportunity to witness a wide variety of Day of the Dead activities from here in the Yucatan Peninsula as well as other parts of Mexico.

 

 

Hanal Pixan 2015 has already released a detailed itinerary, making it easy for visitors to decide when they’d most like to stop by:

 

Saturday, October 31

6:00 pm Inauguration of simple altars

6:30 pm Participation of students from the School of Artistic Initiation

6:30 pm Participation of students from the Playa del Carmen Cultural Center Theater

7:00 pm Participation of the Ideas Dance Academy

8:00 pm Screening of the movie “Macario”

9:00 pm Pre-Hispanic dance with Tlacaxipehualiztli Cultural Circle

 

Sunday, November 1

10:00 am Setup begins for the altar contest

12:00 pm Setup of the Altar of Lost Love (for photos)

5:00 pm Inauguration of the altar contest with visits from the judges

6:00 – 6:40 pm Musical group Son del Caribe

6:45 – 7:20 pm Comedy theater with the company Xal 14

7:30 – 8:10 pm “Love and Death” with Operativo Silla Movil dance and theater company

8:00 pm Screening of the movie “Pedro Paramo”

8:15 – 8:35 pm Awards ceremony for the winners of the altar contest, “calaverita” poems and catrina-making

8:40 – 9:00 pm Music by the Playa del Carmen Cultural Center Choir

9:15 – 9:50 pm “Family Portrait” play by 20 Varos Producciones

10:00 – 10:40 pm Traditional music by Las Parranderas trio