Day of the Dead on Columbia Road
Columbia Road Shops will be celebrating the London Day of the Dead Festival on 2nd November from 12pm onwards.
Expect a procession, a beauty parlor and a mariachi band, and the colour walk people.
The Mexican… is familiar with death. [He] jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates it.It is one of his favorite toys and his most steadfast love.” –Octavio Paz: ‘The Labyrinth of Solitude’.
The Day of the Dead is, despite its name, a joyful celebration honouring the passing of loved ones. On this day it is believed that the spirits of the ancestors return. They are honoured and remembered by their families and friends on Earth. Flowers are an intrinsic part of the festival.
Yellow flowers, such as marigolds, are used to decorate homes so the spirits can find their way home. Flowers symbolise the transience of life.
The street is a stage and we invite you to join us & to come other than you are...
In collaboration with local florists, Columbia Road shops will be decorated with flowers, Shopkeepers will be dressed in suitable attire – with expect face painting, artists creating shrines and ghostly figures from the past.
We look forward to seeing you there!