BRADENTON — While Christmas decor is popping up on city streets, Zoe Von Averkamp has been busy putting up skeletons at her Village of the Arts shop Divine Excess.
Yes, skeletons.
Von Averkamp and her husband, Jerry, are preparing for the Village’s fourth annual Festival of the Skeletons held from 6-9:30 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event is also called Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). Not to be confused with Halloween, the festival is a celebration for families honoring dear departed loved ones through colorful shrines, food, music and dance. For the Village of the Arts, the event includes a lavish display of artwork, too.
Von Averkamp said the celebration is a combination of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. In Mexico, the event is held annually on Nov. 1 and 2, but the Village celebrates it during the first weekend of November to coincide with the monthly artwalk.
“It makes one big, beautiful holiday,” said Von Averkamp, who is organizing the Village of the Arts event. “It’s a very family-oriented holiday. It’s a very loving spiritual holiday. There’s nothing scary about Day of the Dead, though they have the skeletons.”
Hispanic tradition states that the souls come back to visit with living family members during Dia de los Muertos. And the skeletons represent the souls of those who have died.
“So (living relatives) make their favorite foods and bring their favorite beer and their cigarettes. Literally,” said Von Averkamp, whose daughter flew into town this week just for the weekend festivities.
Village gallery owners are excited about the event. Artist Dennis Carrasquillo, owner of Un Gato Loco Gallery, said he is looking forward to the celebration and the variety of food that will be offered.
“They will have soul food there,” he said.
The Von Averkamps attended several Dia de los Muertos events in Mexico over the years, becoming familiar with its traditions. Many of those traditions will be seen in the Village.
Besides artwork and skeletons, each gallery will have a shrine honoring a departed friend, family member or pet. There also will be a community shrine set up in the Village park. The shrine will pay homage to Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera — two of the most revered artists in Mexico. As tradition states, the shrine will be made in the morning on the first day of the festival.
“It’s going to be a very traditional Day of the Dead shrine with offerings made by the artists,” Von Averkamp said.
Offerings will include colorful masks, skulls, decorated skeletons, candles and miniature Fridas. Luminaries will be lit throughout the Village Friday night as live Hispanic music fills the air. Food from Casa del Sol will be for sale both days. An art show reception will be held at the Still Life in G Gallery at 6 p.m. Friday.
Last year, the popular event attracted nearly 1,000 residents from Manatee and Sarasota counties, said Von Averkamp’s husband.
“It’s very festive, very joyous and lots of art,” Von Averkamp said of the celebration. “It’s the perfect thing for the Village of the Arts.”
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