Ogden Day of the Dead event, rescheduled to Sunday, marks first of more in city, across Utah

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Ogden will host a Día de los Muertos event this year on Sunday.
The event will feature a community altar, a pet altar, a market, food trucks, performances and a car show.
Ogden will host two other events, on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, with many more as well around Utah, most on Nov. 1.

OGDEN — Día de los Muertos, typically celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, is coming early to Ogden this year, with an event on Sunday, the first of three in the city and many more around the state.

Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music is hosting its Día de los Muertos celebration on Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. at the Ogden Amphitheater, 343 E. 25th Street. It will feature a community altar where members of the community can put pictures of late loved ones, as well as a pet altar for dogs, cats and other family pets that have died.

The event had originally been planned for Saturday but was rescheduled due to the threat of thunderstorms.

"I would describe it as a way to come together and just remember the ones that have passed. It's a moment where you can remember them and say, 'Oh, this was their favorite food. This was their favorite song that they like to listen to,'" said Yesenia Salgado, one of the event's key organizers. "It's a moment to just remember and reconnect."

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead in English, has deep roots in Mexico and is meant to remember family members and other loved ones who have died. One of the most common Día de los Muertos traditions is the creation of ofrendas, or altars, featuring pictures of loved ones who have passed away, yellow marigolds, candles and food and drink offerings.

"I just like it because it connects me to my roots. It shows my kids their roots and it's just a great way to honor and remember our loved ones who have passed," said Salgado, whose parents are from the Mexican state of Michoacán.

Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music is hosting a Día de los Muertos event on Saturday at the Ogden Amphitheater, one of many to be held around the state. The photo shows the event hosted by the group in 2024. (Photo: Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music)

Sunday's free event will feature a small market, food trucks and other activities in and around the amphitheater. Student artwork created for the event will be displayed, dancers and musicians will perform and a parade is planned to let the public honor their late friends and relatives. A car show will be held on 25th Street in front of the Ogden Amphitheater, and the featured performer will be El Santo Golpe, a California-based music group.

Día de los Muertos activities will also be held in Ogden on Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, with many others around the state, most on Nov. 1.

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