Santa Cruz Revives Day of the Dead Traditions with City-Wide Events
Santa Cruz is reviving Canarian traditions for Day of the Dead with a series of cultural events across the city's districts, including concerts, plays, and storytelling performances.
The Santa Cruz City Council is bringing back old traditions for the Day of the Dead, aiming to remember and celebrate life through honoring those who have passed. From today until November 8th, the Culture, Citizen Participation, and Development Society areas are putting on a series of events across the city's five districts, including concerts, plays, puppet shows, and storytelling.
There will be a total of 17 performances taking place in different locations, designed to help people reconnect with their history, remember those who came before, and revisit how communities have celebrated life, death, and memory. Community centers will be transformed into temporary theaters for the shows, along with the Los Lavaderos hall and, for the first time, the Palacio de Carta.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez emphasized the importance of "recovering Canarian traditions for the Day of the Dead. While other festivals like Halloween have become popular, we must not forget our own identity. This program focuses on reviving the memories of our people through activities that were once common but have been lost over time."
He added, "We want to connect our shared history with today's culture, bringing quality shows to neighborhoods so people can reconnect with their past and how our communities have celebrated life and death."
Santiago Díaz, the Culture Councilor, highlighted that "this program is a chance to revive traditions and appreciate Santa Cruz's cultural heritage. We're committed to bringing activities to all districts, encouraging community involvement and strengthening the city's cultural scene."
The Day of the Dead program starts today with the performances "Brr Brr Brujas" at the 7 Islas community center, "Agarrando la muerte con las manos" at the Nuevo Obrero community center, and "A las Almas" at the Valleseco-Anaga community center. These shows will also be performed on November 7th and 8th.
Additionally, on October 31st, the Palacio de Carta will host "Besay Pérez a la luz de las velas," a show where 2,500 candles will illuminate the stage as the famous Canarian singer performs. There will be four shows between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., with tickets available for five euros through Tomaticket.
That same day at 7:00 p.m., the play "La noche de finaos," a Canarian story about witchcraft and remembering the deceased, will be performed at Los Lavaderos, with a repeat performance the following day. You can find the full program on the website www.santacruzcultura.es and in the #SoyCulturaSC app.