RED HOOK — Departed friends and family members will be honored this weekend in an evening of food, art and remembrance that commemorates the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos.
Atlas Obscura is hosting a cooking class, dinner and interactive performances to celebrate the Day of the Dead on Nov. 1 in Red Hook at De-Construkt [projekts], an art gallery located at 61 Seabring St.
At 3 p.m., the event will begin with a cooking class, where guests will help make more than 200 tamales that will later be served at dinner, said artist and organizer Jackie Danziger.
Greeting guests as if they are out-of-towners, Danziger will welcome them into the gallery's kitchen and share her family's history as well as her personal connection to the occasion.
Danziger, whose grandmother is Mexican, said her family has always marked the holiday that honors the dead, and this year it holds a greater importance. Her grandfather died in 2013 and she recently lost two close friends to suicide.
"The Day of the Dead is an opportunity for family and friends to get together to call into the room the spirits of our departed through remembering them communally," she said.
During the evening, a traditional altar will be created with photos, trinkets and artifacts to remember those who have passed. Danziger is encouraging all guests to bring any personal objects they want to add to it.
Guests will be served dinner at 5 p.m. in a sit-down family-style gathering after the cooking class. It will also feature performances, including ones from Mexico video artist Karla Carballar and performance artist Polina Porras.
The event is open to the public. Tickets are priced at $5 for children and $15 for adults.
