Healdsburg’s belated Día de los Muertos event raises funds for Kincade fire victims

Tropical rhythms from Mexico’s Sonora Santanera band reverberated through the back lot of Healdsburg’s City Hall Sunday afternoon as thousands of people gathered for a belated celebration of Día de los Muertos.

The band was one of three invited to perform at the event, which doubled as a fundraiser for families impacted by the Kincade fire. Families participated in activities, ranging from face painting to exploring the 100 or so vintage vehicles on display at the event’s car show.

Hosted by the nonprofit Corazón Healdsburg, the celebration drew about 3,000 people. It was originally scheduled for Oct. 27 at the city’s plaza but had to be postponed after the Kincade fire threatened the town and triggered evacuation orders, organizers said.

Traditionally celebrated across Latin America on Nov. 1 and 2, Día de los Muertos is intended as a time to remember and honor loved ones who have died.

“It feels like everyone in town is here,” Isis Morales, 26, said about Sunday’s event as she listened to the live music.

The Healdsburg woman came with her mother, daughter and niece to support Corazón Healdsburg, a nonprofit Morales said showed up in a big way for needy community members after the Kincade fire, which ignited Oct. 23 and lasted two weeks. The organization opened a “free store” earlier this month to provide families with clothing and other necessities after the fire, as well as helped run an evacuation center at the Healdsburg Community Center.

The annual Día de los Muertos event was the fourth organized by Corazón Healdsburg, CEO Ariel Kelley said. While attendance was free, the nonprofit sold donated beer and wine, as well as shirts, water bottles and other items to raise money for its Unity & Community Fund, which it launched after the Kincade fire to help families with immediate and long-term financial need. The nonprofit held a similar fundraiser during its 2017 Day of the Dead celebration to help support families and first responders in need after the North Bay fires.

“We decided we wanted to do the same thing,” Kelley said. “This year, obviously, it hits home a little bit harder based on where the fire took place.”

Kelley said the event represented the core of the nonprofit’s mission - bridging the racial and economic divide in Healdsburg by bringing community members together. The sentiment was an important one for David Espinosa, a Healdsburg resident who grew up in Mexico City celebrating Día de los Muertos. Standing next to a decorated altar, Espinosa, 55, said the event brought back memories of his late parents.

“It gives me joy that in this town we help celebrate traditions,” Espinoza said. “As long as (people) keep their loved ones in their mind, they keep their presence here.”