Story and photos by Chris Stone
Amid Mariachi music, young children tossed a football, families grilled chicken, relatives made hearts and wreathes out of marigolds and a skeleton relaxed in a shiny red car.
Hundreds of people gathered Sunday afternoon on Día de los Muertos to take part in a Mexican ritual paying respects to their deceased loved ones.
The event at Greewood Mortuary in San Diego featured free tamales and hot chocolate, a car show, Mariachi music and ballet folkloric dance and was sponsored by the mortuary and VITAS Healthcare, a hospice and palliative care provider.
A large altar in a chapel was built and decorated with photos, candles, sugar skulls and flowers. A remembrance ceremony gave families an opportunity to grieve among prayer and song.
Seven hundred tamales and sugar skulls were distributed to adults and children.
Teresita Guerrero listens to Mariachi music in the cemetery.
Families brought roses and marigolds to decorate graves at Greenwood Mortuary.
Altar was created in a chapel.
Children run and play in the cemetery while adults sit under tents at gravesides.
Banda La Reina de San Diego played for visitors at the cemetery.
A large altar, which photos and names of loved ones, was created in the mortuary chapel.
A woman prays the rosary at a gravestone of a loved one.
Cars were decorated for Dioa de los Muertos.
Nataly (left) and Erica Martinez, who work at the mortuary, help participants and distribute food.
A couple sit at a gravesite to remember and honor a loved one.
Musicians play music for families at the cemetery.
A skeleton relaxes in a car displayed at the car show at the mortuary.
Sugar skulls were given to participants at the Dia de los Muertos observance.
A young girl takes a photo of the sugar candy skulls that were distributed by the mortuary.
The family of Francisco Sanchez, who died six months ago, create and altar and add his favorite sweet potato candy.
Sofia Martinez, 2, enjoys a candy skull.
Families members gathered in the chapel for a remembrance ceremony.
Martha Gutierrez attends the remembrance ceremony in the chapel.
A car show was part of the Dia de los Muertos observance. Cars were decorated for the day.
Family members grieve at a gravesite.
Food, flowers and a Halloween balloon decorate the grave of a boy who died in 2012.
Ballet Folkloric dancers perform to Mariachi music.
Ballet Folkloric dancers perform while a young girl watches.
A Mariachi band performed during the Dia de los Muertos gathering.
Banda La Reina de San Diego played in the cemetery.
A boy plays with toys and eats in the ritual Sunday.
Daniel Torres and his wife Josefina mourn at the grave of his brother Salvador who died June 3 in a fiery vehicle crash.
Children created chalk drawings while listening to music.
Seven hundred tamales were given out to families by VITAS Healcare and Greewood Mortuary Sunday.
San Diego Familes bought candles for loved ones’ graves at Greenwood Mortuary for Dia de los Muertos
