REGION — Over the last two weeks, residents around North County San Diego have been celebrating their loved ones who have since left this world in preparation for the upcoming traditional Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos.
Translated as “Day of the Dead” in English, Día de los Muertos has roots that date back 3,000 years to pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. The holiday is traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, the dates when the dead are believed to return to visit their loved ones.
However, many cities in the region have already had their own festivals paying homage to a celebration that brings loved ones together to honor the lives of those who have died.
A major part of the holiday is the creation of “ofrendas,” or altars, colorful displays featuring images of loved ones who have passed. Many ofrendas also feature candles, “calaveras” (sugar skulls), marigold flowers, “pan de muerto” (bread of the dead), and items that recall the memory of the deceased, such as personal items from their life or their favorite food and drink.
OCEANSIDE
One of the biggest celebrations of the holiday in the region is the Oceanside Día de Los Muertos Festival. This year’s festival took place on Oct. 27 and featured a lineup of music, traditional dance performances, vendors, food and colorful displays featuring the images of those who passed, known as “ofrendas” or altars.
Several ofrendas stood on their own while others were made in the trunks of the old school cars lined up along Pier View Way as part of the festival’s car show.
One of the ofrendas was made by Katy McCrory of Vista in honor of her mother, who died over a year ago.
McCrory’s mother, Orpha Alvarez, had loved the festival for years — even when it was still held at the Mission San Luis Rey years ago. This is the second year in a row that McCrory has honored her mother and other loved ones through an ofrenda displayed at the festival.
At the top of McCrory’s ofrenda rest two images of her mother, one more recent and the other from her high school days. Below are several other images of her siblings and father, who have also passed.
McCrory’s colorful display also features several images of monarch butterflies. After her mother died, McCrory felt she was sending her messages from beyond through monarch butterflies.
“I think she would have been proud of it,” McCrory said.
For McCrory, making the ofrenda each year has helped her grieve the loss of her mother while also honoring her memory.
Beyond the ofrendas, the festival also turned Artist Alley into a temporary “cementario,” or cemetery, where visitors could take a piece of chalk and write a message to a loved one who had passed in their honor.
Solana Beach
South of Oceanside in Solana Beach, the ancestral legacy of the historic La Colonia de Eden Gardens is always on full display during the annual Día de los Muertos celebration.
It is a time for many members of the community to remember the immigrant farmworkers and their families who first formed the neighborhood in the 1920s after being hired to work in the fields of Rancho Santa Fe.
At this year’s event on Oct. 19 at La Colonia Community Park, dozens of ofrendas were set up along the park stairs and in the trunks of classic cars owned by members of the Viejitos Car Club.
One ofrenda set up by siblings Valerie Sanchez Golden and Raymond Sanchez honored their mother, Virginia Villa Sanchez, who has been recognized as one of the pioneering women of La Colonia, as well as their father and other family members.
Valerie said it took her a while to be ready to set up the ofrenda for her mother after her passing in 2018. Doing it for the first time this year was emotional but something she knew her mother would have wanted.
“It took a while to set up one of these. It’s difficult, but I had to put that aside, because it was important to my mom,” Valerie said. 
Virginia Sanchez always considered La Colonia home, with her family moving there from Sevilla, Spain, for work near the railroad. Growing up, she attended local schools like San Dieguito High School Academy, where she played volleyball and softball.
Valerie said her mom was also involved in the Mother’s Club of La Colonia and was in charge of scorekeeping and concessions at local baseball games. She always had a remedy when her family was sick, and she used to wear a sweatshirt that said “Garage Sale Queen.”
Valerie’s ofrenda included an homage to her mom’s love of garage sales, with the metal box where she used to keep her cash placed. This is placed next to a photo of her smiling contentedly in a colorful shirt, surrounded by flowers. Valerie said this was her mom’s favorite photo of herself.
“She was a special woman,” Valerie said. “She always believed in not funerals, but celebration of life. It’s a celebration of our life, our families, and our heritage.”
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the Oceanside Dia de los Muertos Festival is organized by MainStreet Oceanside. The Friends of Oceanside Dia de Los Muertos organizes the festival.
