KING CITY — Hundreds gathered in King City last Sunday for the fifth annual Día de los Muertos celebration, bringing together families, performers and community members to honor loved ones who have died through art, music, dance and cultural traditions.
The Nov. 1 celebration began with a colorful parade through downtown King City, where participants carried photographs and tributes to family members and friends who had passed away.
The procession continued to the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds, where an afternoon festival featured community altars, live entertainment, cultural performances, family activities, local vendors and a Catrina and Catrín costume contest for children, teens and adults.
Organizers estimated about 500 people watched the parade, with another 250 attending the festival at the fairgrounds.
“It’s one of the most heartfelt and beautiful celebrations I’ve ever attended,” said Jude Yriarte, executive director of Sol Treasures. “Seeing people carry pictures of loved ones who have gone before us, people who helped shape our lives, touches something deep within us. The parade offers a way to heal and remember, while surrounding us with extraordinary color, beauty and creativity. It’s an honor to be part of this celebration.”
The event was founded by Tina Lopez of La Cocina and organized in partnership with Sol Treasures. What began as Lopez’s dream of bringing a Día de los Muertos celebration to King City has grown into an annual gathering that brings hundreds together to recognize the tradition and its meaning.
Lopez said the community turned out in large numbers for this year’s celebration, which featured approximately 120 performers representing four local groups: Chuy y sus Diablos del Norte, Arcoíris Cultural, Nuestros Raíces Culturales and King City Ballet Folklórico.
The groups entertained festivalgoers following the parade at the fairgrounds. The afternoon concluded with a ceremony led by La Danza Tonantzin, a local Aztec dancing group, featuring the “Ascension of the Messages,” a ritual to send messages to loved ones who have died.
“We were blessed with a beautiful day and lots of community participation,” Lopez said. “Many came out to honor their loved ones and watch performances at the after party.”
The celebration also featured community ofrendas, or altars, decorated with photographs, flowers and personal tributes. The displays provided families with a place to remember those who have died while sharing their stories and traditions with others.
For Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez, Tina Lopez’s son, the event carries a personal meaning as well as a broader message about the importance of cultural traditions. In a Nov. 1 social media post, he reflected on his mother’s original vision and the community’s continued participation.
“Every year I am blown away by the beauty and creativity of our community in celebrating our cultures and traditions. Years ago my mother had a dream to bring a Day of the Dead celebration to King City and this year we celebrated its fifth year,” he wrote.
He also described the tradition as a reminder that death is part of life’s cycle and that the memories of those who have passed continue through the actions and relationships they leave behind.
“Growing up I was taught not to fear death, but to see it as a part of the cycle of life. The reminder that if we leave good deeds and better actions, our memory stays alive, and in those memories we can continue to exist in this realm and the next,” he wrote. “To see hundreds of people out celebrating filled my soul with pride.”
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a tradition rooted in honoring and remembering deceased loved ones. Through offerings, photographs, food, music and other meaningful objects, families celebrate the lives of those who came before them and maintain connections across generations.
The King City celebration was presented by La Cocina and Sol Treasures, with support from the Echenique Charitable Foundation, Borzini Accounting, Arts Council for Monterey County and King City Rotary.
Tina Lopez also thanked Roger and Brandi Borzini and Benitez Security for their contributions.
“Events like this are not possible without financial support and we are grateful for the (sponsors),” she said.
