Green Rose Productions is proud to present the 3rd Annual Dia De Los Muertos celebration on Saturday, October 22nd at The Pavilion at the Visalia Cemetery. Starting at noon, GRP will host entertainers like Latin folkstar, Pachango, opera star Erika Nicole Alatorre, singer and entertainers Rosalinda Verde Alexander and Ally Garcia, children’s dance group, Ballet Folklorico Sierra Linda, a performer with down syndrome and the smoothest mariachi singer, Carlos Nunez, and many others. The Catrina of Visalia, sponsored by Bob Ainley of the Darling Hotel, will be present for pictures.
The event will kick off with a grito of love for the land and country, in recognition of the life of Padre Miguel Hidalgo, acted out by Rogelio Caudillo of Porterville. Menudo and posole available for purchase from notable 2 time menudo champion, Mike V’s. Crepes and aguas will be provided by Noelvia Prado of Sweet Provisions. Raspados and Tacos from savvy business owners Gallegos and co. and face painting by Orange of Magic Art Face Painting available. Shrank’s Clubhouse and the Visalia Federated Republican Women are providing interactive crafts for children. Invite your friends, family and bring the kids!
Day of the Dead is an event to honor those that have passed on to life beyond the veil. It is a commemorative time set aside to set up ofrendas (altars) to establish a connection to loved ones and to honor their memory. An ofrenda is made up of key ingredients, like marigolds, incense, candles and favorite beverages. Green Rose has set up this event to help those who have lost people, to have a space and time to heal, and to do it together as a community. A public altar will be set up in the newly renovated Cemetery Chapel and all are invited to set up their loved ones’ pictures on display. GRP is partnering with Miller Memorial Chapel to bring the chapel part of the event to the public. We will honor our loved ones’ lives and recognize that death is another step in our eternal journey. It is a time to pause and reflect, mourn and celebrate.
The Cemetery Mausoleum will be open, art pieces from Green Rose Production artists will be on display. Green Rose is a non-profit organization with the mission of helping those with disabilities find their purpose and independence through the arts. GRP creates community art events so that the public can get to know people with disabilities so the stigmas and misconceptions can be changed or alleviated.
Buy a ticket aboard the Time Traveling Trolley tour- the tour takes its passengers back to the 1800s via the Visalia trolley, to hear from the ancestors that built the central valley and to learn how it all started. Actors from GRP and the Visalia Players are portraying the ancestors. Alabaster Snowball (depicted by Christian Barragan) from the Elvengers, hosts the tour, alongside St. Nicholas (depicted by John McCoard). Each time the trolley stops, a story is told from a gravesite. Get ready for a chat with the past. Padrinos (Godparents of the trolley) are Mark Baker of Baker Mountain House and Assemblyman Devon Mathis. The two have sponsored the trolley tour to help GRP with its future endeavors. Tickets are available from https://timetravelingtrolleytour.brownpapertickets.com/