Famed Tournament of Roses pageantry combined with colorful Día de los Muertos art resulted in a delightful day in Pasadena, California. For the third year in a row, the Annual Día de los Muertos Art Competition: A Celebration of Art & Culture awarded winners with more than $7,000 in winnings – ranging from scholarships to cash prizes. This year, there were over 500 submissions received from children ranging in age from nine to 18, all youth from throughout Southern California.

Wife of the Party was pleased to be one of the sponsors for this tremendous event, where our team provided professional services and helped to set up décor throughout the vibrant celebration. Attendees enjoyed listening to stirring sounds coming from live musicians, watched cultural performances, including Aztec dancers, and were mesmerized as artists constructed ofrendas. The handmade altars were made complete with personal drawings, framed portraits of ancestors; symbols from Latin American heritages, such as sugar skulls and catrina face painting. Thousands of brightly hued marigold blooms were seen throughout and looked stunning against the white architecture of the Tournament House.

The initial event idea was sparked as a way to engage Rose Parade volunteers at the start of the pandemic. Officials say the cultural holiday and the Rose Parade are both very floral based and are steeped in great tradition – they just swapped out the rose for the marigold. We loved being a part of this annual event and hope to work with the Tournament of Roses again soon! We were excited to meet new vendors from paleta treats to sparkling flavored beverages in fun flavors, as well as see familiar faces from the community, but our most cherished moments were meeting the young artists who completely floored us with their dynamic designs. ¡Gracías a todos!