Winchester Park to Host 24th Annual Event – Nov. 1–2
Clark County Parks and Recreation is presenting the 24th Annual Life in Death Festival, a two-day festival at Winchester Cultural Center on November 1 and 2, 2023, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., featuring Mexican traditions. Winchester Cultural Center will be looking for participants in the following categories: food and craft vendors, ofrendas, calaveras, and a Day of the Dead art exhibit.
The festival will feature many ofrendas—altars built by families and other groups in memory of relatives or other beloved individuals. The ofrendas are elaborate works of art: beautiful, detailed, and sometimes huge. They will be displayed outdoors in Winchester Park, and prizes of $200 will be awarded to the first ten qualifying ofrendas. See the application for further details and ofrenda rules. The final day to submit applications is Saturday, October 14, 2023.
The festival also features readings of calaveras (“skulls”), which are poems—usually humorous—written in memory of people who are still alive. In Mexican tradition, they treat the menace of death with good-natured humor and offer a chance to poke fun at prominent people. If you are interested in writing a calavera, entries can be submitted in either English or Spanish. Judges will award calavera prizes of $150, $125, and $100. The final day to submit applications is Saturday, October 14, 2023, and entries must be submitted to Adam Ward via email at Vanessa.Valdivia@ClarkCountyNV.gov.
People will also enjoy the Day of the Dead Art Exhibit, which is led by the Clark County Public Art Office. This multigenerational celebration is a remembrance of the dead, filled with festivities that honor life, both lived and living. Please remember that Día de Los Muertos is not Halloween. As always, we invite artists to research and explore how Día de Los Muertos is celebrated by the many cultures found throughout Mexico and by the diaspora abroad.
Awards: We have three categories—Experienced, Amateur, and Youth—with gift certificate prizes ranging from $50 to $300. Awards will be distributed at the exhibition reception to artists in attendance.
To apply, visit: https://clarkcountynvpublicarts.submittable.com/submit
