TECATE CELEBRATES CATRINA DAY OF THE DEAD BREAD
Restaurants will create unique Dead Breads for city event
“Catrina Day of the Dead Bread” returns for its third annual Day of the Dead commemoration at Tecate, Baja California, for a five-day festival from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2.
The Catrina, a symbolic immortal icon who traditionally is dressed in a long flowing dress and wearing a large-brimmed hat with feathers, was chosen as the theme of Tecate’s Day of the Dead celebration in 2019 because the Catrina is a humble reminder to all that everyone eventually winds up as a skeleton. Now, the Tecate community continues this festivity.
Tecate, 45 miles from San Diego, is known for its sweet bread and will celebrate this year’s Catrina Day of the Dead Bread with 16 restaurants at the Town Plaza in Miguel Hidalgo Park, a historical site locals consider the heart of the city.
Each restaurant will be creating a unique sweet Dead Bread, also known as Pan de Muerto, traditionally an anise-flavored orange light bread dusted with sugar.
The Dead Bread originated in Mexico and is molded into skull-looking figures, which are only made during the month of October through the first days of November to honor the souls of loved ones who have died.
Tecate’s local bakeries and restaurants will be offering different styles of this bread and Day of the Deadthemed drinks through Nov. 2.
To kick off the event, a program of artistic cultural presentations will take place in the town’s main plaza on Friday at 5 p.m. to start welcoming the souls.
The Day of the Dead holiday is known for its colorful and handmade artifacts, such as candy skulls, perforated paper decorations and marigolds, flowers believed to guide the souls to the altars with their pungent
scents and vibrant colors.
The community of Tecate has decorated Miguel Hidalgo Park and main streets
with perforated paper and handmade Catrinas made by local artists to highlight the celebration.
The Day of the Dead is celebrated across the border with community events like this one, but Miguel Garambullo, president of the organization committee for Catrina Day of the Dead Bread, says this one is the only event in the west-northern region of the country that brings together a very local tradition (Tecate’s bread) and a central part of Mexico’s symbolic tradition (Day of the Dead).
“Both traditions jointly result in a unique local celebration, where the essence of this Mexican holiday reunites in the altar and celebration to honor and bring back the souls of loved ones that passed away,” Garambullo said.
The Tecate native says his vision is to improve the program yearly so the community and visitors can enjoy the Day of the Dead celebration and all cultural expressions that surround it.
Garambullo adds that next year’s celebration will be bigger and better than the last three years because he hopes COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted in 2022.
This year, because of COVID-19 restrictions, events such as private dinners will be limited to only 35 people, and masks and social distancing will be required indoors and outdoors. In addition, to keep the community safe, the cultural presentations in the Town Plaza will last no more than 20 minutes to ensure social distancing.
“This year, we opened the program significantly more since COVID-19 vaccination rate in our state is at more than 75 percent and the fact that the general population is already very familiar with COVID-19 protocols and recommendations. We are inviting our San Diego County friends to come and experience this unique celebration,” Garambullo said.
To reserve a Day of the Dead specialty dinner or learn more about the foods, drinks and the Dead Bread that each restaurant will be serving, go to http:// www.tecatepueblomagico.mx/.