Waiting in line to enter the 25th-anniversary celebration of Dia de los Muertos at the famous Hollywood Forever cemetery was, in itself, a surreal experience.
Many people in line were in costume and some were very clever. The sign over the entrance was fashioned from the typical marigolds prevalent in Day of the Dead celebrations everywhere but also had some art from the featured artists. It was creative and colorful and left me wishing I’d paid attention in art class enough to create something so beautiful. One other cool thing was that you could see the Hollywood sign from the entrance. Doesn’t everyone go to Los Angeles just to see that particular icon?
Once inside it was all I could do to not stand there with my mouth agape in awe of all the stunning costumes people wore. I had no idea it was such a big deal, though since it was at the Hollywood Forever cemetery, I should have at least had an inkling.
There was a stunningly beautiful Madusa, a very handsome Devil, skeletons galore, dancers of all ages, shapes and sizes, parades, and food vendors. Oh, the food vendors! I had lunch with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., or I should say, I sat on his tombstone in the shade. I passed Mel Blanc in my travels around the cemetery and shared music memories with the Ramones, or at least two members of the band, Dee Dee and Johnny. It was epic and odd to be in their presence even though they weren’t taking part in the celebration. Or maybe they were!
As the day progressed to night, it was extraordinary to see all the alters people had put up and lit up to celebrate their departed loved ones. You could see them during the daylight hours, but at night they were amazing!
One in particular had a departed married couple that stood 12 feet tall! I do believe that was my favorite, but there were so many others that it’s truly hard to choose a favorite. Some even had alters to their departed pets. Those were the most sad.
All in all, it was a fun and productive day experiencing the 25th-anniversary of Dia de los Muertos at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. I do think though that I’ll go back when there aren’t so many live people so I can actually take my time and see all the famous people spending their afterlife in a very cool place in the heart of Los Angeles.
Until next time . . .
