Video by ZGraphix Productions.
Mexic-Arte Musuem and its community partners celebrated El Dia de los Muertos with its acclaimed 33rd annual Viva la Vida festival and parade this past Saturday, October 29th. The event began with a colorful procession that stretched from East Austin to Brazos Hall and culminated in an evening of unforgettable musical performances, talented artist vendors, and camaraderie inside and outside of Brazos Hall in downtown Austin.
This year, the Museum met the public’s need for expanded festival grounds by hosting the festival both indoors and outdoors. Thousands of guests stopped by throughout the day to enjoy the festivities, buy local beautiful art, and enjoy performances by some of Austin’s best musicians and dance groups. Inside the Museum, guests had the opportunity to see the Community Altars and Icons & Symbols of the Borderland exhibitions, as well as participate in an array of exciting children’s activities next door at the Frost Bank Plaza.
This year’s special parade component paid homage to the late singer Juan Gabriel, featuring a giant Juan Gabrial mojiganga in the parade. Families, Catrin/as, university groups, portable altars, noise makers, Chihuahuas, Aztec dancers, Samba dancers, Ballet Folkloricos, and lowriders made the procession a memorable moment in the history of Viva la Vida.
The Museum would like to thank each individual and family who came out to celebrate and spent their time supporting the festival and parade, with a special thanks to the City of Austin and the Hispanic Quality of Life Advisory Committee. Viva la Vida 2016 was truly a memorable event that brought Austin’s longest-running and largest Day of the Dead celebration to life!
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