Nestled in the heart of downtown Gilroy, the La Ofrenda Festival and third annual Día de Muertos Festival & Wellness Fair on Nov. 1 will be an extraordinary event and is more than just a day of festivities. It’s an immersive experience that embraces the essence of Día de Muertos—a time when families come together to honor their departed loved ones and celebrate the eternal bond between the living and the deceased.
With vibrant ofrendas (altars) adorned with marigold flowers, moving performances, a community bike ride and a variety of talented artists, our festival promises an unforgettable experience that will leave a lasting impression on the South County community and beyond.
La Ofrenda Festival is made possible with a Gilroy Elevate the Arts Grant, a program of SVCreates, with support from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, City of Gilroy, County of Santa Clara and fiscally sponsored by nonprofit Local Color.
Gilroy’s La Ofrenda Festival is bringing together a cross section of sponsorships and partnerships from government, education, health, private sector, arts, transportation, culture, non-profits, labor workforce and more. I would like to personally invite you to join us, and travel to the festival by bike, bus, walk or drive.
The arts are alive in Gilroy. In 2021, I was contacted by SVCreates (Santa Clara County Arts Council) to build a relationship that wasn’t here prior in Gilroy. From those first initial meetings blossomed an Arts Círculo held at 6th St. Art Studios and around the corner at the Neon Exchange. Today we have a monthly Arts Roundtable, Third Friday Art Walk, Chalk Fest, La Ofrenda Festival, La Casa de Cultura y Arte—and doors continue to open.
La Ofrenda Festival will have many experiences for you including a community bike ride, free bike parking, helmet fittings, bike repair, bike education, wellness vendors, and a Transit & Mobility Plaza that features a VTA bus. This year’s presenting partner, Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), will bring their Dream Home mobile demonstration, where community members can learn about and interact with electric equipment and appliances.
We are actively advancing ideas and projects that promote the concept of free-range people in the City of Gilroy. We advocate for building and planning that considers future generations as well as current residents who don’t own cars.
Advancing mobility options reflects what we are teaching the youth in our community through Safe Routes to School and why we are nationally recognized as a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of American Bicyclists, and by the World Health Organization as an Age-Friendly Community.
The City of Gilroy is a Complete Streets and Recreation Destination community by resolution.
The City of Gilroy celebrates the role that the arts and creativity play in helping us navigate a pandemic, amplify the need for racial equity and highlight the power of the arts to change our lives for the better.
The Gilroy Arts & Culture Commission and SVCreates work in partnership to support the arts and creativity in Gilroy as an essential part of our thriving community.
SVCreates partners locally with the Gilroy Arts & Culture Commission and Gilroy Arts Roundtable to include the City of Gilroy with a network of leaders who care about the resilience of our arts ecosystem and its impact to our community. They are conveners, promoters, incubators and funders of the arts with a mission to elevate Silicon Valley’s creative culture.
The City of Gilroy recognizes that the arts and creativity support student success and life-long learning, provide key job skills, and bring joy to our community while strengthening our connections; and values partnering with SV Creates and State-level organizations to promote unified support for the arts.
Zach Hilton
Gilroy City Councilmember
Details
The La Ofrenda Festival and third annual Día de Muertos Festival & Wellness Fair will take place 1-7pm Nov. 1 in downtown Gilroy. For more information, visit laofrendafestival.com.
