Oceanside welcomed visitors to their 21st annual Dia de los Muertos festival on Sunday. Downtown was filled with symbols of Latino culture and traditions.
Friends of Oceanside used to hold the celebration at Mission San Luis Rey, but after the event grew, it moved to the Downtown area.
Lowriders popped their trunks to display Dia de los Muertos altars that celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed.
"Everybody loves classic cars. So why don't we incorporate the car show with the event and have the ofrendas in the trunk of the cars to remember our loved ones. And it took off," said President of the Por Siempre Car Club, Manuel Navarro.
Each trunk ofrenda is unique to the person they are celebrating, “A lot of the things that we put in there are the things that they loved to eat, the music they liked to hear, the artist they liked while they were still alive, the things they like to drink,” said Navarro.
He said the idea has been embraced by classic car owners in many places, “It’s a good thing that we’re doing this because it's an old Mexican tradition and the new generation is gaining from all of this. We’re teaching them our old customs and traditions.”
The event held Catrina contests, traditional dances, live entertainment, and activities.
“Our main purpose is to educate and to show that our traditions have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years — and they're still here,” said Chema Navarro, a Calpulli Omeyocan dancer.
Day of the Dead is traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, but some regions include celebrations on October 31 through November 6.
