Día De Los Muertos celebration

Yes, Halloween is around the corner, but so is Día de los Muertos. In celebration of this Mexican holiday, the Springfield Public Library is hosting a free Día de los Muertos celebration Saturday, Oct. 26. Día de los Muertos — or Day of the Dead — is a holiday traditionally celebrated in Latin American countries as a way to honor those who have passed away. The event at the Springfield Library will feature special guest Yuyi Morales, an award-winning author and illustrator famous for writing children’s books based on Mexican culture such as Viva Frida and Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale. Books will be handed out for free while supplies last and other books by Morales will be for sale. She will give a short presentation and sign books afterward. The group El Taller de son Jarocho will perform music of southern Veracruz, Mexico, for the celebration. There are also a variety of crafts and activities for those who attend. Guests can make cascarones, which are painted eggshells with confetti inside, decorate sugar skulls or calaveras and create alfombra de aserrín, a colorful sawdust mural.

The Día de los Muertos celebration is 1 pm to 3:30 pm Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Springfield Public Library. FREE.