October 23, 2021
7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.
Location: Grand Park Performance Lawn (Near Hill Street)
Suspended last year due to the pandemic, the traditional Noche de Ofrenda ceremony honoring the dead returns to Grand Park as a live event and performance. A co-presentation by Grand Park and Self Help Graphics, the joint event of reflection and remembrance will feature a communal circle and blessing led by the indigenous community and also include poetry and dance. In a continued partnership with Grand Park, LACMA will host two family-friendly arts-based workshops dedicated to making personalized calavera—one of the most recognizable cultural and artistic elements of the Day of the Dead festivities. Each 20-minute workshop held throughout Noche de Ofrenda will engage kids to create their own calavera using air dry clay, paper plates and other craft items as LACMA teaching artists show park-goers how to sculpt, shape and transform ordinary materials into colorful Día de Los Muertos artworks. LACMA will also host a “Tree of Life” in Grand Park encouraging park-goers to write the name of a passed loved one on a colorful ribbon; the name and ribbon will remain placed on the tree in remembrance for the duration of Grand Park’s Downtown Día de los Muertos.

SCHEDULE

7PM: Words by Councilmember Kevin De Leon, CD14

7:05PM: General Lázaro Arvizu of Danza Xipe Totec, with special guest Jeniffer Sanchez, performing Danza de la Muerte

7:25PM: Land Acknowledgement by Self Help Graphics & Art Board Chair, endy bernal

7:30PM: Journey to Mictlan by Grupo Folklórico Huitzillin, Teatro Aztlán de CSUN and CA.
AJUPEME Delegation

7:55PM: Poetry Performance by Gloria Alvarez & Greg “Goyo” Hernandez

8:10PM: Closing Words by Maestra Ofelia Esparza & Rosanna Esparza Ahrens

8:15PM: Music by Maurice de la Falaise

Ring in the new year with Grand Park’s New Year’s Eve L.A. virtual celebration and count down to 2022 with Kinky, DUCKWRTH, Esty and hosts Mando Fresko & Bryhana!

Watch the livestream here: https://youtu.be/nHQoIhSKTfE

Grand Park announced that Grand Park’s NYELA Countdown to 2022 will no longer host a live invite-only audience of L.A. County’s frontline workers and first responders. Grand Park, which is operated by The Music Center, works closely with the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health and has developed strict protocols to help ensure the safety of the public, artists, crew and staff members. In this case, however, given the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in the county, The Music Center/Grand Park team determined the safest route to continue with this popular annual tradition would be to eliminate a live audience.

While there will no longer be a live audience, the event will be produced as a broadcast and streamed program as previously planned and will be accessible to everyone on Grand Park’s YouTube channel (@GrandParkLosAngeles) and on Fuse (check your local listings) at 11:00 p.m. PST on December 31, 2021. The event will feature headliner Kinky and additional music performances by Esty and DUCKWRTH in Grand Park and the signature countdown video projection onto L.A.’s iconic City Hall building.