Healdsburg’s Día de los Muertos honors those who’ve passed on

Fabiola and Jose Ruiz opted to honor their loved ones during Healdsburg’s Día de los Muertos celebration Sunday by displaying pictures and orange marigolds in their white 1962 Chevy Impala.

In one photograph, Fabiola’s grandfather smiled warmly. He was 92 when he died, she said. Another of their photographs, showed the couple’s kind friend and neighbor, Erika, while still another showed Jose’s uncle.

“I yearn for a connection with my family members and friends who are gone,” Fabiola, 39, said while looking at the photos with reverence. “It’s my way of healing and accepting they’re gone.”

Her altar honoring those who have died was one of several on display during Healdsburg’s Día de Muertos celebration Sunday at the Plaza Park.

The event, which was co-sponsored by the city of Healdsburg in partnership with Corazón Healdsburg, featured face painting, a car show, food, traditional dancing and music.

It also featured a number of elaborate Día de los Muertos altars or “ofrendas,“ that had been erected, some in the trunks of old 1950s cars or in cobweb-covered trucks adorned with framed photos and food offerings like tamales and conchas and bright marigolds, which people believe help guide spirits back to their altars.

Día de los Muertos has its origins in the traditions of pre-Columbian Mexican cultures as far back as 3,000 years, and is now celebrated around the world. The official holiday is celebrated Nov. 1 and 2.

Thumping from Aztec dancers echoed throughout Healdsburg’s plaza Sunday. And the event’s spook factor was increased considerably, as skeletons dressed in traditional Mexican garb sat comfortably in the driver’s seats of several cars.

“Nothing better than seeing the glittery skulls and traditional outfits,” said Fabiola Ruiz, who has celebrated the tradition for over a decade.

Linda Streb was brought to tears after spotting a photo in front of an altar of her friend Dotty Walters who died in 2015, 10 years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Streb described her dear friend as a “pillar of the community” and a ”connector of people and ideas.“

“I love how we get to honor the past and our ancestors,” said Streb, 64, who grew up practicing the tradition in Mexico City. “Without the past, we can’t build our future.”

Reach Staff Writer Mya Constantino at mya.constantino@pressdemocrat.com. @searchingformya on Twitter.