Day of the Dead Community Event

The Day of the dead community event was first presented in 1999 during a Country presentation by Leticia Vazquez-Smith While she was participating in the Columbus International Program. That year Leticia conducted a workshop to share the Mexican festivity and its origins from the pre-hispanic times focusing in the Aztec Celebration.
 The workshop was a great success and people were so excited about the festivity that Leticia kept presenting this year after year. Finally over the years it became a Cultural, Educative activity and she couldn't hold anymore people in her house so the day of the dead celebration in Columbus grow up to a Community event from 10 to 50 people in the first  2 years. Ever since the event keeps growing.

The event includes not only Mexican/LatinAmerican people but also the main stream audience and Artist.  Now many local artist join efforts with Leticia  and every year together they host  the free event in different areas of Columbus Ohio and for the last 10 years it has been hold in the North, East, central and West side of Columbus.

During the years the event has been sponsored by Leticia Vazquez- Smith and family,  free performances by Rodolfo Vazquez Mexican  traversal flutist, Enrique Infante, Rodolfo Herrera, Iris Reategui,  and  help from volunteers like Margarita Revilla, Bill Reinhart, Angela Morales, Maria Duque, Ryan Husdon, Kat Moya and many more. In the past we have received support from Global Gallery, Nancy Pyon and the Black Creek Bistro to host in their venues The day of the dead community event, in 2014 the Department of Spanish and Portuguese sponsored the music during the event and Professor Paloma Martinez Cruz participated reading Calaveritas, Students from the department volunteer their time during the event.

For the last 3 years Evolved has donated 3 Gift certificates to the event, Tom prince has donate twice (this year will be the third year) Mums that he actually grows and exhibit at the Garden Mums in Westgate then he donates from 5-10 pots to the event. La Michoacana Mexican store has donates for the last 4 years fruit and candles for the community offering/altar

2016 Is the first year we are receiving sponsorship. We are so thankful for their support! and we hope to keep growing little by little with the support of our community and sponsor.

Our sponsors:

The Columbus International Program
Rdesign & printing
Belle Harbour
Evolved
Thomas Fortin & Company, LLC
Global Gifts
TIE
And personal donations:Nissa Salvan, Bill Reinhart, Patrick Smith, Kevin Zamora, Kat Moya

Thank you for preserving the heritage!