Modesto reimagines city's Day of the Dead celebration after organizer's death
A Modesto tradition honoring loved ones who have passed away is taking a new shape this year after the longtime organizer of the city's Day of the Dead festival died.
For more than a decade, Rebecca Ortega Harrington poured her heart into the celebration. Her son, Matthew Harrington, said she built the festival from the ground up, bringing culture downtown.
"It was her love letter to Modesto and Stanislaus County," Harrington said.
Each year, the celebration filled the Tenth Street Plaza with music and dancing, drawing as many as 30,000 people.
"I would always tell her, 'Mom, you got to start early.' She could put it together in a matter of three, four, maybe in five months," Harrington said.
He said his mother's passing earlier this year left a void, but her message of unity and remembrance continues.
"The spirit will come back to visit, know that their family is remembering them and that they are still remembered and loved," he said.
Now, the City of Modesto is keeping that spirit alive, hosting its first-ever Day of the Dead event at the McHenry Museum.
"We have our Día de los Muertos event here," said Jessica Flores, with the city. "It's called Between Two Worlds."
The two-night celebration will feature cultural history, dancers, live music and even a lowrider car show.
"[There will also be] a couple dozen community-created ofrendas for people to come and celebrate their family, talk about them, tell their stories," Flores said.
Harrington said his mother would be proud to see the city continue what she started.
"She would be OK with it, with the city putting it on in good faith to honor community members," he said.
Modesto's Between Two Worlds celebration runs October 17 and 18 at the McHenry Museum. It is free and open to the public.