4TH ANNUAL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS BENEFIT FESTIVAL

This November, DDLMDC graciously brings to you the 4th Annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Benefit Festival, produced by Events by David Rosa & Lalalu Mexican Art, to be held on Sunday, November 2, 2019 from 3PM - 12AM at the Eaton DC Hotel, located at 1201 K. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

The purpose of this event is to raise money to help reunite the children who have been separated at the border with their families, as well as providing support for children of marginalized communities abroad to reduce the dire need to leave their home countries and face the risk of injury, death and/or being detained.

Please note that this event is a non-political event, but simply a call to assist those who cannot help themselves – the children.

Due to recent legislative actions, thousands of children have been torn away from their parents and held in “holding facilities” thousands of miles away for undetermined amounts of time. During this process, numerous children have been temporarily placed in the care of Social Services here in the United States; however, proper identification and documentation has not followed them, leaving a great number of them “lost” in the very system that they have been assigned to. Therefore, we have put together this festival in hopes of raising awareness, as well as gathering the needed funds to assist in the reunification of these separated families.

It is also our mission to assist in establishing stronger communities abroad, in hopes that it will limit the need for these families to feel forced to leave their home countries and jeopardize falling into the current American Immigration/Border Patrol System.

100% of the proceeds of this event are going to the following causes:

The Young Center (https://www.theyoungcenter.org/about-the-young-center)

The Young Center is a champion for the rights and best interests of unaccompanied immigrant children, making sure that wherever they land, whether here in the U.S. or in their home country, they are safe.

The Young Center serves unaccompanied children who are fleeing violence, trafficking, abuse and extreme poverty. Advocates for the safety and well-being of each child, while they’re detained and throughout deportation proceedings—every step of the way. Stands for the creation of an immigration system that serves children.

Rostros Sabios. De mi Corazon a tu Corazon

Rostros Sabios, De mi Corazon a tu Corazon is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to providing childcare, as well as educational, nutritional and medical services for the children of working mothers within marginalized communities. Their mission is to nurture the brains and bodies of young children to provide a foundation to ensure healthy development into future leaders within their surrounding communities. This program has been recognized by the UN as one of the strongest tools for social change and development within 3rd World countries.

THE HISTORY OF DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS is a festive Mexican holiday where family and friends come together in fellowship to remember and celebrate the lives of their passed loved ones, by building altars, holding candlelight vigils, while partaking in the favorite music, foods, drinks, and items of the deceased.

Traditionally, this holiday celebrates the memory of children on November 1st and adults on November 2nd.  Living relatives and friends gather in the streets of the communities, the homes of loved ones, and the cemeteries where their loved ones have been laid to rest.

Our mission is to share the true meaning and tradition of the holiday with all cultures since, no matter our differences or ethnic backgrounds, each and every one of us have loved ones to remember and honor. In death, we are all the same, and we wish to share this custom with the metropolitan area.

Bring pictures, belongings, and/or letters of your loved ones to lay on one of the vibrantly-decorated altars that will be constructed on location. The event will be geared towards guests of all ages and backgrounds throughout the DC, MD and VA area. 

**As a special thanks for those who came out in support to last year's event, we would like to offer you a special discount on this year's ticket.  Please email us for your Promo Code!**

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

The event will feature a number of family-friendly events to include face-painting, live art, sugar skull painting, live Catrinas, candle vigil, the sounds of Mariachi and other local vocal artists, various live performances, DJs, traditional customary activities, movies and short screenings, workshops, panels, a processional, GLOW YOGA and more.

ACTIVITIES:

- Face-Painting

- Mechanical Bull

- Candlelight Vigil

- Letters to the Beyond

- Processional

- Rooftop DJ Party

FEATURING:

- Polypanaramas

- Wayta

- La Marvela

- De Sanguashington

- Son la Lucha

- Yesenia Folkloric Dance

- Conjunto Brujas

- Kimberley Thompson (A.K.A "Redhead Ballerina")

- Le Manch

- Queen Nefertiti

- Adobo DMV

VISUAL ARTISTS:

- dieGLO the Barbarian

- Art by Ego

- Rock Eats

- Jasmin Carmen Brown

DJS:

DJ Anthony Somebody of Quitehype (@antsomebody)

El Pedro Night, Adobo DMV

DJ Shango

SCREENINGS:

- The Movie "Coco"

- The Movie "Book of Life"

- Know Your Rights Tutorials

- National Geographic's "Diving for a Purpose" Documentary

- "The Impact", Youth Documentary

PANELS:

- "Expression as an Outlet" by Rodney "Buck" Herring of Mostly Design Group

- "Vigil of Healing" by Catharsis on the Mall

- "Mental Health"

WORKSHOPS:

- Altar-Making

- Catrina Flower Crown Making

- South Bath

- Salsa Lessons by DCBX

- Kiddie Yoga

- Glow Yoga by Zizi Yoga

- "Know Your Rights"

PARTNERS:

- VeluMusical

- Petworth Arts Collaborative

- La Red Hispana

- DCBX

- Catharsis on the Mall

- Barrett Holmes Pitner

- Pakke

- Black Burner Project

SPONSORS:

- EVENTS BY DAVID ROSA

- LALALU MEXICAN ART

- FLOCK-DC

- EATON DC

OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR

This year, the Eaton Hotel is serving as our presenting sponsor, providing venue space, sound, lighting, and a number of other hospitality and event services. Eaton DC pioneers an interdisciplinary hotel experience to travelers seeking inspiration, innovation and impact. They set the stage for residing guests, locals and house members to congregate around creativity and consciousness-building. Eaton Hotel offers provocative content and programming, social and creative incubators, as well as a radical approach to food and beverage, wellness and the arts. Each hotel’s ethos and design reflects the city it resides in, resulting in a diverse portfolio of properties aligned by a shared social mission.

In fact, the Eaton Hotel was just recognized by The Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME) as the SEPTEMBER 2019 Location of the Month for its support of film and television productions, artistic endeavors, live events, and programming opportunities with multiple portals for engagement including: a radio station, cinemas, artists and activist residencies, music venues speaker auditoriums and more. We are very excited to have them on the team!

TICKETS ON SALE ON EVENTBRITE

iNTERESTED IN BECOMING A VENDOR?

INTERESTED IN COMPETING IN THE MARIACHI COMPETITION?

INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING?

We are reaching out to as many individuals, cultural organizations, local businesses, artists, performers, sponsors and vendors as possible to see who may be interested in becoming an event sponsor and/or donating their services, products, time and/or network, in hopes of making this event an unforgettable, citywide experience for all those who attend. We hope that you would be interested in participating.

If so, please contact us below for more information: