Barrio Logan brings Día de los Muertos to life with vibrant celebration

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Barrio Logan Cultural District hosted its annual Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, celebration on Sunday.
The holiday originates from Mexico and is meant to honor ancestors.
This year’s theme was called “Barrio Mágico.” Sunday’s event aimed to take all traditions and stories passed down for generations in the Hispanic community and bring them to life again, like magic.
Logan Avenue beamed with bright colors, costumes, decorations, and altar installations throughout the streets.
There were vendors like Juanita Maciel, who participated for the first time at the festival. Her business sells plants, succulents, arts and crafts, and more.
“I wanted to keep my low prices and good products, so I decided to open my own nursery,” Maciel said.
There were also food vendors, including one that stood out for selling spiral potatoes.
Zaida and her parents were working at the Apaa Churros stand, and Zaida shared why this holiday is an important part of her culture.
“It shows the meaning of life is not like death,” Zaida said. “We see it as a good thing instead of a bad thing.”
Barrio Mágico also featured art installations, including one by artist Laureyn Pacheco.
Pacheco called her artwork “The Tree of Life” because it told the story of her ancestors.
“I have pictures of all of my ancestors, and the symbols here represent either different relatives or different parts of my family story and how they got to San Diego,” Pacheco said.
The festival featured a number of performers and dancers, including a duo called Los Guanchinangos.
Jorge Castillo said they were playing traditional music from Veracruz, and he explained why music is such an important part of celebrating Día de los Muertos.
“When people die, we say goodbye to them through music,” Castillo said. “The songs we play celebrate their life and their time in this world, and we send their spirits off full of music.”