Altars, art decorate 2 1/2 miles of Deco District for Día de Los Muertos on The Old Spanish Trail

SAN ANTONIO – Memories of loved ones continue to be celebrated around San Antonio for Day of the Dead.

Centro Cultural Aztlan hosted Día de Los Muertos on The Old Spanish Trail, a 2 1/2-mile spread of altars and art installations along Fredericksburg Road.

KSAT 12's Jessie Degollado reported from the celebration that stretched from the Deco District H-E-B, located at the intersection of Hildebrand Avenue and Fredericksburg Road, to the intersection of North Flores and West Elmira streets.

RELATED: Centro Cultural Aztlan holds first Día de Los Muertos on The Old Spanish Trail

Deborah Keller-Rihn, curator for Centro Cultural Aztlan’s Día de Los Muertos on The Old Spanish Trail event, said the area surrounding Fredericksburg Road in the Deco District was recently designated “historically significant.” 

WATCH: The full Day of the Dead Catrinas on the River parade in San Antonio

Texas Commission on the Arts then gave Centro Cultural Aztlan a grant to bring awareness to the culture and art of the Deco District.

Keller-Rihn said more than 30 exhibits extended along the trail for the event.

Altars created by local artists honored lives of their departed loved ones, but some installations included paintings.

One artist drew a painting on business windows “in the memory and honor" of her mother and father.

She drew a musical theme for her father, who played piano and guitar, and a poetry theme for her mother.

Also along Fredericksburg Road, drivers of "low riders" displayed altars in the trunks of their cars.

At 5 p.m., a procession led guests from the H-E-B to Centro Cultural Aztlan at 1800 Fredericksburg Road.

Additional altars, refreshments, food, live music and arts and crafts greeted the procession at the center, as well as art exhibit Altares y Ofrendas.

RELATED: The reason why marigolds are seen throughout the Day of the Dead river parade

Altares y Ofrendas is the 42nd annual Day of the Dead art exhibit presented by the center.

Volcán, El Tallercito de Son, I Ching Gatos and Juan & Armando Tejada are among scheduled performers.


About the Authors

Jessie Degollado has been with KSAT since 1984. She is a general assignments reporter who covers a wide variety of stories. Raised in Laredo and as an anchor/reporter at KRGV in the Rio Grande Valley, Jessie is especially familiar with border and immigration issues. In 2007, Jessie also was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame.

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