Nashville families have a joyful date to circle: Cheekwood Estate & Gardens hosts its 27th annual El Día de los Muertos festival on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Billed as the largest Day of the Dead festival in the region, the two-day celebration brings the traditions of Mexico and Latin America to Nashville in a spirit of love, memory and celebration of life.
Throughout the gardens, visitors can admire beautiful ofrendas, the memorial altars honoring loved ones who have passed, and large Day of the Dead murals created by area middle and high school students. On the Arboretum Lawn, Latin and Aztec dance performances and traditional music fill both days, from Danza Aztlán and Sol de Mexico Ballet Folklorico to a festive La Catrinas fashion show.
The festival is especially wonderful for children. In the Frist Learning Center Great Hall, kids of all ages can make a paper marigold flower crown to wear all day, create their own monarch butterfly — a symbol of ancestors returning — and color and string together their own papel picado. Families can also add a name or memory to the Memory Tree in Massey Auditorium.
Between activities, browse the open-air marketplace for handmade goods and flowers, and taste authentic cuisine from tamales and empanadas to churros and Peruvian sweets. Best of all for parents, youth ages 3 to 17 are admitted free for this festival, and tickets include garden and mansion access. Timed tickets are recommended, so reserve ahead and make it a full family day at Cheekwood.
Photo: Caitlin Harris / Cheekwood
