The 24th Street Theatre’s annual Día e los Muertos block party is moving online. The virtual event allows people to celebrate the joyous tradition of Mexico’s most famous holiday from the comfort and safety of their homes on Monday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. (Pacific Time), 9 p.m. (Eastern Time) at www.24thStreet.org.

Hosted by actor Gabriel Romero, the virtual festival will feature special guests including master conguero, bandleader and vocalist Louie Cruz Beltran and his ensemble; Xochi Flores and Cesar Castro and their son Jarocho-Chicano Cambalache; Aztec dance troupe Huitzilopochtli; ballet folklórico Sol de Fuego; and Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actor Edward James Olmos (Selena, Stand and Deliver, Battlestar Galactica). 

The event will also include: the presentation of Las Instrucciones, a short film about a man who builds an altar to connect, celebrate and remember; virtual workshops such as “How to Build a Small Day of the Dead Altar in Your Home” and “Face Painting for Day of the Dead;” and a “man on the street” check-in with celebrations in Mexico City. Also makin an appearance will be Los Angeles City Council members Gil Cedillo and Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who have partnered with 24th Street Theatre to make this event possible.

24th Street Theatre’s Día de los Muertos virtual block party is made possible in part by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

Featured photo: Host Gabriel Romero / Credit: Cooper Bates. Courtesy: Lucy Pollak Public Relations

The post 24th Street Theatre’s Dia de los Muertos Block Party to go Virtual first appeared on .

This holiday’s installment of the always dazzling DISNEY ON ICE, titled MICKEY’S SEARCH PARTY, brings all of your Disney-Pixar favorites to life including the joyous Dia de los Muertos characters from Coco. 

An exciting participatory adventure told through multi-leveled performances that immerse fans into the fantastic worlds of Frozen, Moana, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Toy Story and The Little Mermaid, this all-new show will be skating into the Southland playing L.A, Anaheim, Long Beach and Ontario from December 12^th – January 5^th! Tickets start at just $15. For all show info: www.disneyonice.com

This brand-new immersive ice skating experience brings the magic closer to fans than ever before through engaging elements that take place on the ice, in the air, and in the seats, as performer athleticism mixes with acrobatic and aerial stunts to bring skating skills to new heights. 

The post "Coco" Joins Disney On Ice! first appeared on .

WHERE:  Grand Park Performance Lawn (Near Hill Street) 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012                     

Free Concert Culminates Week-Long Día de Los Muertos Celebration and Features Performances by L.A.-Based Artists: Empress Of, San Cha, Ceci Bastida, Maya Murillo, August Eve, Loyal Lobos, Selenamos and DJ Zuri Adia

Selena for Sanctuary is a free concert that is part of Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos, a week-long community-wide event that upholds the annual tradition. Featuring an all-female line-up of L.A.-based Latinx artists and designed to bring immigrants and allies together in a social justice movement, the concert is organized by the L.A.-based, non-profit Solidarity for Sanctuary; it was hosted previously in Central Park and at Lincoln Center. Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos Selena for Sanctuary concert is a homecoming for Solidarity for Sanctuary’s mission to raise awareness about issues concerning immigrant communities and offer resources to help them through the immigration process. The concert’s celebration of Angeleno voices and perspectives furthers Grand Park’s vital role as L.A.’s “Park for Everyone.”

Anahuacalmecac Danza Azteca Círculo, a student-led group from Los Angeles-based Anahuacalmecac International University of North America, will perform, honoring ancestors, during the opening ceremony for Selena for Sanctuary, and Los Angeles-based Salvadoran poet Yesika Salgado will host the concert. Additionally, volunteers from numerous immigrant advocacy groups will participate: Las Fotos Project, an organization that inspires teenage girls of color through photography, will host a photo booth for event goers; while Kids of Immigrants, an L.A. street wear label utilizing fashion to express its roots and environment, and Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), a Central American immigrant rights organization, will host information booths. 

For More info and FULL SCHEDULE CLICK HERE

The post Grand Park’s Downtown L.A. Dia De Los Los Muertos first appeared on .

Mexican filmmakers, Mónica Álvarez and Paola Villaneuva unveil an intimate look at the story Día De Muertos: Lake Pátzcuaro.

The Short will screen at the San Diego International Film Festival Oct 15-20

These days, it isn’t a surprise that if you mention Dia De Los Muertos to your non-Latinx friend they will, at least in some small form, know to which holiday you are referring to. For decades the beautiful and sacred tradition of Day of the Dead influenced American culture through its colorful traditions, but very few people knew the actual reason behind them when celebrating what they called “Mexican Halloween”. Now, with films such as Coco and Book of the Dead reaching an audience of millions, Dia De Los Muertos is no longer influencing the mainstream. It is the mainstream. 

Every year, tens of thousands of people flock to Hollywood Forever Cemetery where Los Angeles puts on an impressive fiesta filled with booths lining the road to the sacred resting place of the past inhabitants of California’s great city. People paint their faces, buy screen printed T-shirts, and watch as Danzantes perform their beautiful and intricate dances from our indigenous past. It’s an environment of fun and revelry, especially for those who are just visitors to this hallowed tradition. 

Yet what isn’t often remembered by those who attend Hollywood Forever Cemetery (as beautiful as the event is), is the absolute reverence for this truly special holiday, and for the people who have come before us that we gather to celebrate. That is what Día De Muertos: Lake Pátzcuaro presents in its bite-size, and beautifully shot running time of just 0:5:21. Told by emerging Mexican filmmakers, Mónica Álvarez and Paola Villaneuva, the film unveils an intimate look at the story of Lake Pátzcuaro, a town located in Michoacán and known for its vibrant Día De Muertos festivities. 

The film opens with the beating of drums signaling, like a precolumbian drumroll, the great mountains of Michoacan where their story takes place. As we follow the harvesters of Marigolds, we learn that the flower, also called the cempasuchil, represents the rays of the sun under which the men carry out their sacred task. Over the course of the film, we follow the marigolds on their path to the altar and all the stops along the way such as the preparation of the tradition Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead), the journey to the altars with the fisherman who guide the spirits home, and finally to the Noche De Muertos where the community celebrates their gone, but clearly not forgotten, loved ones. 

As we see the community come together we remember that while face painting and drinking tequila is fun, Dia De Los Muertos is a real tradition, with real people, and real emotions. The people of Michoacan lovingly place candles and their loved ones’ favorite things in life to adorn their ofrendas. They also place, of course, the beautiful Marigold with which our journey through the film started with. They sing, and dance, and tell stories about the ones who were here before. Most importantly, what Lake Pátzcuaro leaves us with, in one woman’s emotional recounting of how losing someone you love impacts your life, are the real tears that are shed during this important day. Dia De Los Muertos offers an opportunity, each year, to allow ourselves to acknowledge the bittersweetness of our short existence on this earth and just how much beauty there is even after it is gone. That is why so many people connect to it from all over the world. That is why it’s a celebration. 

Día De Muertos: Lake Pátzcuaro will screen at the San Diego International Film Festival (Oct 15-20) and the Morelia International Film Festival (Oct 18-27), but you  can watch Álvarez and Villaneuva’s film on Cuervo.com .

ABOUT MÓNICA ÁLVAREZ – Director

Mónica Álvarez Franco (Mexico) is a screen writer and director. She holds a BA on audiovisual studies at the Centro de Arte Audiovisual en Guadalajara and an MA in Creative Documentary filmmaking by the Escuela Superior de Artes y Espectáculos TAI, in Madrid. Her first documentary film, Bosque de Niebla, premiered in 2017 at FICUNAM, received Honorable Mention and was later awarded Best Cinematography at the Downtown LA Film Festival. The film also participated in festivals such as SXSW, Margaret Mead Film Festival, Do Rio Festival, Morelia International Film Festival and Ambulante.

ABOUT PAOLA VILLANUEVA – Producer

With an MA in Documentary Filmmaking by the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Paola Villanueva (Mexico) has developed a career as a producer for different clients such as Sprout Pictures, Cineflix and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Her passion for documentaries started in 2002 when she collaborated on the documentary film Welcome Mr. Postman with Danish director Madeleine Bondy that formed part of the official selection at the Pärnu Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival. In 2013 she directed and produced her first documentary, While Waiting, which was selected at the Guadalajara International Film Festival (2017), Raindance (2017) and the Malaga Film Festival (2018). After her debut as a director, she collaborated as a co-producer for the documentary Agave: The spirit of a Nation, that premiered at the SXSW in 2018 and is currently starting its distribution.

The post Día De Muertos: Lake Pátzcuaro first appeared on .

Thousands of Latin music and pop culture fans will descend on Las Vegas for FANTASMA: THE AWAKENING scheduled November 1-3, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. FANTASMA is a three-dady convergence of pop and Latino culture that fuses socially conscious Music, Art, Comedy and Spoken Word into an “awakening” of mind, body and soul! Tickets ($25-$175) are available at www.FANTASMAusa.com.

With the holiday Día De Los Muertos as a cultural backdrop, FANTASMA will deliver the ultimate sensory experience, mixing a fanfare expo, inspiring sessions, and a new age spiritual journey, together with a fest of eclectic talent across musical genres. Among the first talent to be announced includes: Ozomatli, El Gran Silencio, Metalachi, Las Cafeteras, Los Rakas, Making Movies, Tequila Rock Revolution, Marujah, Luchador Blue Demon, Jr., actor Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite), actor J.W. Cortes (Gotham), Jovan Armand (Shazam!),and Brooklyn St Patrick, Inked Magazine 2018 Cover Model.

FANTASMA highlights include the Ritual Xpo & Fanfare, a playground of cool attractions and meaningful experiences, including:

• Rad-Rods Pavilion – Groovy vehicles including Spawn, Scooby Doo, Deathstroke, and Rick and Morty
• The Zocalo – The hub for meet n’ greets with your favorite pop culture stars
• The Fan Pit – A series of face and body art photo shoots
• Prophecy – Discover your future with palm readers, tarot cards and fortune-telling
• Calaverita & Altar Wall – Cultural altar display and messaging wall
• Word Vegas – Socio-culturalspoken word performances
• Cosplay Performances – All your favorite pop culture characters come alive

Other event highlights are:

• Boulevard Nights Screening – 40^th Anniversary screening of the iconic movie and a cast reunion of Richard Yniguez, Danny De La Paz & Betty Carvalho
• Día de los Muertos Masquerade Ball – A rockin’ spectacle of parade and performances, complete with Red Carpet arrivals
• Sessions – Cultural, holistic spirituality, and Latino content creators

There will be a Ritual Xpo is designed around fans senses of sight, sound and feelings!  FANTASMA Ritual Xpo highlights include: Rad-Rods Pavilion; Music & Cosplay stages, The Zocalo Celebrity Meet & Greets; The Pit Fan Photoshoots; Cultural Arts Exhibition; Content Creators and Prophecy Zones, The Portal featuring the Altar Wall and Calaveritas!

Among some of the special Guests Rick & Morty Illustrator David Angelo Roman, Efren Ramirez (Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite), J.W. Cortes (Detective Alvarez from Gotham), Jovan Armand (Pedro of Shazam), and Brooklyn St Patrick (Inked Magazine July Cover Model).  Athlete appearances include luchadores (Mexican wrestlers), Blue Demon, Jr., Vampiro, and two-time light middleweight world champion boxer Fernando Vargas!  Music performers include: Ozomatli, El Gran Silencio, Metalachi, Las Cafeteras, Los Rakas, Making Movies, Marujah, and Tequila Rock Revolution.  Wrapping up FANTASMA is fan sessions, the 40^th Anniversary of the movie Boulevard Nights (cast and screening), and the Masquerade Ball with Red Carpet Arrivals.

Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino is the host hotel. Call 888-746-6955 for special room rates of $99, with code SRFAN9! For other inquires, call 913-397-8850. FANTASMA is sponsored by Southwest Airlines and Soldiercon.

The post FANTASMA: The Awakening! In Vegas Nov 1-3 first appeared on .

Thousands of Latin music and pop culture fans will descend on Las Vegas for FANTASMA: THE AWAKENING scheduled November 1-3, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.  FANTASMA is a  three-day convergence of pop and Latino culture that fuses socially conscious Music, Art, Comedy and Spoken Word into an “awakening” of mind, body, and soul! 

Tickets ($25-$175) are available– CLICK HERE 

“FANTASMA is a culturally driven carnival for your soul – offering a spectrum of see, hear and feel adventure for millennials and generation Xs!” said David Chavez, FANTASMA Creator and CEO of acclaimed experiential firm INGEÑUITY.

With the holiday Día De Los Muertos as a cultural backdrop, FANTASMA will deliver the ultimate sensory experience mixing a fanfare expo, inspiring sessions, and a new age spiritual journey together with a fest of eclectic talent across musical genres. Among the first talent to be announced includes Ozomatli, El Gran Silencio, Metalachi, Las Cafeteras, Los Rakas, Making Movies, Tequila Rock Revolution, Marujah, Luchador Blue Demon, Jr., actors Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite), J.W. Cortes (Gotham), Jovan Armand (Shazam!), and Brooklyn St. Patrick, Inked Magazine 2018 Cover Model.

FANTASMA highlights include the Ritual Xpo and Fanfare, a playground of  
cool attractions and meaningful experiences, including:

   *   Rad-Rods Pavilion – Groovy vehicles including Spawn, Scooby Doo, Deathstroke and Rick and Morty
   *   The Zocalo – The hub for meet n’ greets with your favorite pop culture stars
   *   The Fan Pit – A series of face and body art photoshoots
   *   Prophecy – Discover your future with palm readers, tarot cards and fortune-telling
   *   Calaverita & Altar Wall – cultural altar display and messaging wall
   *   Word Vegas – Socio-cultural spoken word performances
   *   Cosplay Performances – All your favorite pop culture characters   come alive

Other event highlights are:

   *   Boulevard Nights Screening – 40th Anniversary screening of the  
iconic movie and a cast reunion of Richard Yniguez, Danny De La Paz &  
Betty Carvalho

   *   Dia de Los Muertos Masquerade Ball – A rockin’ spectacle of parade and performances, complete with Red Carpet arrivals

     *     Sessions – Cultural, holistic spirituality, and Latino content creators

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino is the host hotel.  Call 888-746-6955 for special room rates of $99, with code SRFAN9!  For other inquiries, call 913-397-8850.  FANTASMA is sponsored by Southwest Airlines and Soldiercon.

About INGEÑUITY
We are experiential multicultural marketing experts creating visionary, groundbreaking signature platforms (digital content+ events), promotional campaigns, and branded vehicles to connect with today’s consumers. We are developers and producers of national and local cultural, music, comedy festivals, and consumer expos. INGEÑUITY specializes in reach and engagement to Latinos – from millions to thousands to key influencers.  We create and design brands built around “passion” and that have real meaning to the Latino community! We are past producers of primetime network TV specials – ALMA Awards (ABC), Hispanic Heritage Awards (PBS), Premios Deportes (Univision). INGEÑUITY owns Vegas Tejano Music Week and the 16th Annual Vegas Tejano Music Convention.

The post FANTASMA, a Las Vegas 3-Day Convergence of Pop & Latino Culture first appeared on .