Botanical garden connects, combines annual fall festival with Dia de los Muertos

Mackenzie Meleski, Contributing Writer

The Richmond community gathered to honor both the new season and the memories of loved ones’ past through event that combined the festivities of fall with the Day of the Dead, sharing themes of love, family and nature.

HarvestFest took place on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. The HarvestFest has been a part of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s extensive events calendar for years, but sees some changes this year, according to Michelle Israel, exhibits and programming coordinator at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. 

Guests experienced the HarvestFest staples, such as festive decorations, food, fall arts and crafts, and writing what they are thankful for on a displayed piece of paper, according to Israel. 

This year, the festival additionally includes the cultural festivities of the Day of the Dead, also known as Dia de los Muertos, according to Israel.

Israel said that they chose to include Dia de los Muertos in this year’s festival because of the recent interest people have shown nationwide in learning about and connecting with the holiday.

“It symbolizes so many things, no matter what religion or culture you are,” Israel said. “We all go through losing someone close to us so it’s a way to connect with our ancestors. It’s a way to celebrate their lives. It’s a way to remember them and honor them.”

HarvestFest and Dia de los Muertos may not seem to have a lot in common, but Israel said the Lewis Ginter staff saw many similar themes. Both occasions celebrate nature, the cycle of life and spending time with loved ones, according to Israel.

“We want to celebrate the changing of the seasons. We want to celebrate the cycle of life,” Israel said. “When the trees are starting to turn color and the flowers are starting to fade, it’s all part of the cycle. We’re all connected with nature and the energy of the cycle.

The festivities include Mexican food, several vendors selling handmade jewelry and crafts, traditional decorations and an ofrenda — an altar traditionally used on Dia de los Muertos for remembrance, according to Google Arts and Culture.

Festival attendees were given the chance to lay pictures of their deceased loved ones and battery-operated tea lights on the ofrenda, according to Israel. For each light laid on the ofrenda, one can of food was donated by Goya Foods.

“The idea is to collect all these names and energy together with the same intention,” Israel said. “Which is remembering connecting not only with the people that have passed, but connecting with the community and who we are now today in Richmond.”

The Latin Ballet took the stage on Saturday for two musical performances vibrant with color and sound. Child dancers joined the adults on stage for a performance honoring life and culture. 

Kadencia Orchestra, a local salsa, bomba and plena band, took the stage later in the day, according to the Lewis Ginter website. Guests at the festival danced to the upbeat music. 

Marisol Betancourt, the artistic director of the Latin Ballet, said the dance company saw the performance as an opportunity to teach festival-goers about Mexican dance traditions. 

“We hope that everyone has a great experience and learns about the Day of the Dead in case people don’t know about it, and also learning the culture behind it,” Betancourt said.

The company combined elements of hip-hop, traditional flamenco dance and modern dance. They included their own ofrenda altars in the performance and dancers laid flowers next to pictures of their deceased loved ones.

“It’s really not only about the dead, but also on how we live day to day by remembering our family members who have passed on,” Betancourt said.

Sharon Rose, a Mechanicsville local, attended the festival with two of her friends. She visits Lewis Ginter several times per year and attended the HarvestFest event a few years ago.

“I really like the inclusion of the Day of the Dead,” Rose said, “I didn’t know much about it, but I enjoyed getting to partake in some of the celebrations. I especially enjoyed the market vendors.”

Piper Blackburn, a Richmond native, brought her two children to the event. She brought a picture of their family dog to lay on the ofrenda. Afterwards, the family painted pumpkins at the crafts tent along with dozens of other children. Many were dressed in Halloween costumes or wearing traditional face paint for the Day of the Dead.

“I think it’s really cool to expose my kids to different cultures, especially the Day of the Dead,” Blackburn said. “You’ve been seeing it a lot in the media lately, so it’s nice that this gives them a chance to actually participate.”