Las Vegas is honoring memory with color, music and art at the Winchester-Dondero Cultural Center, where Clark County’s Office of Public Arts presents the Life in Death Exhibit 2026. The juried exhibition, selected by Las Vegas artist Jamie Zepeda, is on view from October 20 through November 19, 2026, with gallery hours Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 3130 McLeod Drive.
Zepeda, a UNLV graduate in drawing, painting and printmaking, blends Mexican folk art with Western influences in work that celebrates vaqueros, folklórico dancers, mariachis and Día de los Muertos traditions. For this show she brings together dozens of artists — more than 50 works fill the main gallery and the Hall Gallery — each piece exploring remembrance, heritage and the joyful ways families keep loved ones present.
The celebration grows on November 1 and 2, from 4 to 9 p.m., with the free Life in Death: Day of the Dead Festival across the center and park. Admission and parking are free. Outside, community altars built by local families, organizations and artists compete for festival honors, and visitors can add a photo tribute to Forever in Our Hearts, a glowing heart installation by Las Vegas artist Stefano Kajatt that projects tributes with light and music. The main stage hosts traditional Mexican dance, mariachi and theatrical performances, plus beloved calavera readings, while an artisan market, food, face painting and hands-on family workshops complete the evenings. An awards reception follows on November 2 at 6:05 p.m. on the outdoor stage.
Photo: Vgodínez99, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
