The Avalon community and its visitors are invited to the Catalina Island Museum for its inaugural Día de los Muertos Family Festival. This colorful Mexican celebration of life and death honors family members and friends that are no longer with us. Organizers aniticpate the event to mark the beginning of a new tradition in Avalon. This family festival will take place during First Fridays at the Museum on Friday, Nov. 2.
The Día de los Muertos Family Festival has something for all ages: dancing, live music by Blu Man Chu, a performance by local group Danza Azteca, a sugar skull doll art project and a screening of Disney/Pixar’s COCO. Individuals, families and businesses are encouraged to submit an ofrenda/altar and/or work of art for a chance to win a prize. All participants of the contest will receive FREE admission to the First Fridays at the Museum event. Additional details and entry forms are available at the Catalina Island Museum or for download at CatalinaMuseum.org/calendar.
The music duo Blu Man Chu comes to us from Long Beach. Their music style is old school rock and roll flavored with Indie and a little corridos. The mastermind behind this duo is Jesus Lara, former lead guitarist of the popular Buskerfest-winning band, Fathers and Suns. They perform regularly in small venues in Long Beach.
First Fridays at the Museum schedule:
6-8 p.m.
Live music, sugar skull doll art project (all supplies included), dancing, performance by Danza Azteca.
7:15 p.m.
Ofrenda/altar and art contest winners announced and prizes awarded.
8 p.m.
Screening of COCO in the museum’s Ackerman Family Amphitheater (Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket as it might be chilly.)
Pan de muerta, Mexican hot chocolate, a specialty cocktail “Sweetest Death,” wine, beer, soda and water will be available for purchase throughout the evening. Handmade flower crowns by Bobbie Dark will also be available.
First Fridays at the Museum is also the perfect time to explore the museum’s galleries, digital theater and plazas, and shop in its Museum Store. With two new special exhibitions now open, plan to spend some time exploring When Sugar Loaf Stood: Early Catalina Paintings and Bird Park: An Aviary for Avalon’s Celebrity Birds.
First Fridays at the Museum will take place on Friday, Nov. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m. The museum will re-open for this event at 6 p,m. Judging for the ofrenda/altar and art contest will take place from 6-7 p.m.
The contest winners will be announced at 7:15 p.m.
Tickets are $15 for museum members, $20 for non-members and $5 for children (ages 3-15). All children must be accompanied by an adult. No outside food or drink allowed.
Tickets may be purchased in person at the museum, online via CatalinaMuseum.org, or by phone at 310-510-2414. Visit CatalinaMuseum.org for more information.
The Catalina Island Museum offers the best in art and history exhibitions, music and dance performances, lectures by guest speakers from all over the world, and the finest in silent, documentary and international film. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. The museum’s new Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner Building is located in the heart of Avalon at 217 Metropole Avenue. For more information, call 310-510-2414 or visit CatalinaMuseum.org.
