Thousands Expected to Celebrate "Day Of The Dead"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- This Sunday is the Day of The Dead, a traditional Mexican holiday where people pay respect to loved ones and family members who have died. There is a Day of the Dead celebration taking place at the Penn Museum this Saturday. The centerpiece for The Day of the Dead celebration is an altar that's more than 12-feet high and is decorated with 700 paper flowers, an array of candles and flamboyantly dressed skeletons.
"We dedicate the altar every year to someone who is relevant to the community and in this case we chose Rufino Tamayo. He was a muralist from Mexico," said Ana Flores with the Mexican Cultural Center.
Tamayo's portrait and samplings of his work were painted on the alter by Philadelphia Muralist Cesar Vivero.
Flores says they have a lot planned for Saturday's festivities.
"We're going to have music, we're going to have traditional bread called pana muertos, it's delicious. We're going to have traditional mexican hot chocolate," she said.
Ana says last year, they had upwards of 1,000 people come to the celebration and they're expecting even more this year.