Bare Hands, Inc. has revamped Birmingham, Alabama’s annual Dia de los Muertos celebration this year, modifying the event to span an entire week from November 1 - 7. While attendees may miss the traditional face painting, vendors, artists and food providers that celebrate the cross-cultural remembrance of life embodied by the Day of the Dead, they can still experience many of the special components the Magic City has come to expect from this beloved festival.
Altars honoring those who’ve passed are spaciously displayed throughout a section of Pepper Place, with vibrant colors and lights providing a beautiful backdrop to the tales and tributes of loved family members and friends.
Powerful displays of art made with love by local creatives like Tyra Robinson are a short walk from tributes to Frida Kahlo, Bill Withers, Eddie Van Halen, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Lewis and more. The event allows guests to take an active role in the festivities. I was able to write a letter to my grandfather, which was then placed inside a mailbox labeled “Letters to Heaven“. There’s also a dial telephone surrounded by murals that gives visitors the ability to pick up the phone and “leave a message to your lost ones”. Beautiful masks designed by local artists are available for purchase and life-size artistic displays add even more wonder to this truly impressive event.
Organizers encourage people to bring a picture of loved ones they’ve lost--including beloved pets--along with battery-operated candles to be incorporated into the public altars. While the event has somber moments, it is also a celebration. Nightly food trucks and nearby restaurants provide food and beverage options and fires are placed throughout the walk offering warmth and light.
Friday and Saturday will coincide with the Pepper Place District’s Eat in the Street festivities, with Aztec dancing and a screening of Disney’s “Coco” highlighting Friday night and Birmingham musician Suaze taking the turntables on Saturday.
We took a tour of the event to give you a preview of the impressive altars you can see when you visit. Check out all the details in our Dia de los Muertos feature and learn more about Eat in the Streets here!
