LEGENDmag

Halloween Weekend: The Days of the Dead

In what will be the perfectly timed weekend holiday, Halloween is here again for us to enjoy!! You can almost feel the excitement in San Francisco as the weather turns colder and SF’s patron saint “the costume” makes its official debut! Local dress-up started last weekend, but costumery officially kicks off on Friday. And it should prove to be quite a fun weekend (if the quantity of local parties and clubs scheduled are any indicator)!!!

I have never personally been a big fan of the holiday. As the Creative Director of LEGENDmag and freelance graphic designer for Exkclamation, I spend my days excreting creative juices for client projects. So, often when it comes time to be creative for fun, this mental keg is tapped for ideas. Fortunately, I have a creative-support network that keeps me in the spirit, and for that I am very grateful.

Some such friends invited me to a truly remarkable event last year, that I plan on attending again: SF’s Day of the Dead parade! It’s a community event that has been happening for the last 30 years in San Francisco’s Mission District and brings together the creativity of events like Mardi Gras; while infusing it with a somber Halloween-style, respect-for-the-dead vibe. Basically it boils down to many thousands of people respectfully parading around the Mission with processional bands and “floats”; which ultimately end up in Garfeild Park to pay respect to the dead at large, temporary, community altars.

Dia de los Muertos is meant as a celebration of your deceased loved ones, however this parade is not all the downer that it may sound to the uninitiated. Music, celebration, costumes, and skulls abound in the streets; party goers freely join or spectate the parade at all points; and traffic is at an all-time high. So if you plan on going, follow these small instructions:

1. Don’t expect to trick OR treat
2. Take public transportation or walk (it’s near impossible to drive in the Mission)
3. Bring flowers, candles, and respect

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Sunday, November 2, 2008 @ 7:00PM
24th & Bryant, in the Mission District of San Francisco
http://www.dayofthedeadsf.org

PS. There is also an illegal soapbox derby starting at 1:00PM the same day at the Bernal Speedway if dangerous speeding vehicles are more your thing! (Shhhh…!)