El Dia de los Muertos / A Celebration of Life

2009 marks the 30th year that Xico presents the El Dia de los Muertos / A Celebration of Life festival on November 7, 2009 from noon to 7 PM at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park in historic downtown Chandler, and features traditional music and dance by local performers, children’s activities, a mercado featuring folk arts and crafts, ethnic food, and a candlelight procession.

Xico’s festival is traditional community celebration with a contemporary expression that celebrates the lives of loved ones past. It is the oldest one of its kind in the valley, and has inspired many other celebrations. Festival highlights include:


· A community altar created by the Phoenix Fridas, where the community is encouraged to leave a memento is remembrance of loved ones past

· Entertainment will include storytelling by Zarco Guerrero, a performance by the Si Se Puede dancers, mariachi, dancing by Opendance, with more performers to be announced

· Traditional candlelight community procession at 6 PM

The festival is presented in conjunction with a five-week exhibition of local artist’s at Xico’s Chandler gallery, entitled “A Celebration of Life.” The exhibition features artists such as El Moises, Patrick Murilo, Zarco Guerrero, and Ruben Galica, who will be showcasing works that illustrate a historical and contemporary view of life and death. The opening reception for the exhibition will be on Friday, October 23rd from 5:30-9 PM, and the exhibit runs through the 28th of November.

The El Dia de los Muertos / A Celebration of Life festival is sponsored by the City of Chandler and the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership.

About Xico


Xico, formerly known as Xicanindio Artes, is a multidisciplinary arts organization that was created in 1975 by a group of local Chicano and Native American artists. Their vision was to promote indigenous arts and culture through community based arts programs. As one of the oldest ethnic nonprofit arts organizations in the state of Arizona, Xico plays a unique role in the community through the programmatic activities of the organization. Xico’s mission is to nourish a greater appreciation of the cultural and spiritual heritages of the Latino and Indigenous peoples of the Americas throughout the arts. Xico is a non-profit 501c3 organization and is supported through grants from private and public funders.