SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio is home to one of the largest Day of the Dead festivals in the us, and this weekend it is back for its 11th year.
Also known as #Muertosfest, the Día de los Muertos Celebration brings people together, in more ways than one, to celebrate the lives of lost loved ones.
Hemisfair played host to a celebration of Mexican culture that honors those that have passed away.
“It's very beautiful. I think it's a great impression of like, the culture and how we celebrate the people we love who passed away instead of mourning them. We're celebrating the life that they did live,” said 16-year-old Daphne Reyna, who had come to the festival with her Mother.
Día De Los Muertes Celebration at Hemisfair features live music, original artwork, a musical puppet procession, live poetry, and an open altar competition. Fest-goers can vote for their favorite alter through the festival’s app.
People entering the festival had the chance to write a message and memorial to their lost loved ones on a doorway that was erected by San Antonio Metro Health. Celina Peña, wrote a message to her daughter Alexis Gonzalez who was shot and killed in February, one day after she turned 20.
“She was a bright, vibrant, loving person,” Peña said.
Peña traveled to San Antonio from Corpus Christi for her other daughter's cheer competition. Muertos Fest gave her the opportunity to honor Alexis alongside all of the lost.
She pointed out ofrendas that were dedicated to celebrities like the Golden Girls and Paul Reubens, otherwise known as Pee-Wee Herman. Other ofrendas were dedicated to Niel Armstrong and other astronauts and Mexican celebrities like Luchador wrestler the Blue Demon.
“I'm able to pay my respects out here to other people's family because it's an emotional time, especially for, you know, people that have lost so many people in their life,” Peña said.
Ronald Soto’s urn sat on a table in front of a large portrait and next to a to-go coffee cup from Circle K.
"He always went after a Spurs win to Valero for that free cappuccino,” said Soto’s sister, Lorraine Montez.
“That was his thing to do,” she said.
Soto owned Spirit Athletics Gems with his twin brother Roland, they both were die-hard Spurs fans.
Soto died of COVID in August 2020. Montez said she’s been preparing an ofrenda for him at the Dia de Los Muertos festival for the past two years.
"Very cheerful person. A lot of people thought, you know, he was real mean because he had that serious look. But very funny, lovable big teddy bear," Montez said.
Montez says creating an ofrenda for her brother every year has given her a chance to see all the people whose lives her brother has touched, like Reyna, who stopped by the alter to pay respects to her former coach.
"He was honestly one of the best people in my life from the time that I knew him," Reyna said.