Day of Dead Events Planned at Adobe

According to legend, on El Dia de los Muertos--or the Day of the Dead--the spirits of loved ones return to mingle with friends and family.

On Sunday, a Day of the Dead celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Andres Pico Adobe, 10940 Sepulveda Blvd., Mission Hills.

“I believe we’re celebrating life,” said Nancy Lopez, a spokeswoman for the San Fernando Valley Latino Arts Council and CultuAzltan, sponsors of the event. “It’s about looking the inevitable in the face, enjoying the day with families and remembering those who have passed on.”

CultuAzltan is an offshoot of the Latino Arts Council that is responsible for organizing the celebration, now in its third year, Lopez said.

A highlight of the day is a late afternoon blessing of altars that family members have created to honor their relatives. The event also includes art exhibits, crafts, Aztec dancers and food booths.

Families create the altars to remember some favorite things about people who have died. The idea is to welcome back souls.

At Las Hadas restaurant in Northridge where Lopez is manager, a 4-foot-square altar has been set up for the past week with Mexican folk art representing some of the favorite dishes of her grandparents. Although health-code regulations would not allow Lopez to display the actual foods for long periods, the gesture is a symbolic offering.

“You want to put food and drink on the table so that it feeds the soul,” Lopez said.

The event is free. Sponsors include Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon and the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.