Entrevista en español con la artista Noemí Hernández aquí.
Avanza 88.3’s Conexión shines a spotlight on one of Utah’s most beloved annual traditions—the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City. The event returns Saturday, November 1, from noon to 6 p.m., inviting families from across the state to honor life, memory, and cultural roots.
Carina Linares, Engagement Producer at Avanza 88.3, sat down with Susan Klinker, Program and Education Manager at the center, who has helped organize the festival for 21 years. “The traditional beliefs of Día de los Muertos,” Klinker explained, “is that on these special days, the veil between the living and the dead is thinner than on other days of the year, and the belief is that the spirits of the departed loved ones are able to return and be present.”
She added, “In this way, we keep our deceased loved ones alive and available in our community with us.”
The center’s gallery transforms completely for the holiday. “Our gallery is taken over by a number of community altars that have been put together by literally hundreds of community members,” Klinker said. “Some are made by students, families, and organizations—and each one recognizes deceased loved ones. There is food and all the things that the people loved in their lives.”
New this year is a community altar open to everyone. “Members of the community can come in and build their own mini altar or contribute to a space where they’re recognizing their own departed loved ones,” Klinker shared.
Visitors are encouraged to bring images or mementos of loved ones. “They could be foods or candies, or photos of their pets—things that would draw their spirit back into our time,” she said.
Though deeply rooted in Latino tradition, Klinker emphasized the event’s inclusive spirit. “Our festival is open to everyone,” she said. “Although these traditions are rooted in the Latin, Latino communities, we can all learn and enjoy the celebrations and the traditions.”
She concluded, “I’ve started to utilize these traditions in my own family and in my own life, and they’re beautiful ways to recognize, remember, and really take time to be with our departed loved ones.”
Admission is $7 for adults and $20 per family (up to six people). Everyone is welcome.
Avanza 88.3 is a community sponsor of this year’s event.
