Day of the Dead Parade Lights Up Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Mexico — The commemoration of Janal Pixán, titled "Pixano'ob Sáasilo'ob. Finados seres de luz" (Finados Beings of Light), unfolded as a day that combined the cult of the deceased with culinary delights, dance, music, and dance across different stages.

The parade "U Xiímbal Pixano'ob. Paseo de los Pixanes" (The Walk of the Pixanes) began at the Lázaro Cárdenas park with hundreds of locals and national and foreign tourists accompanying the silent march to the Municipal Cemetery, which was masterfully adorned by staff from the Secretariat of Public Services.

Once at the cemetery, the Mayan prayer women "Payachi'ob," originally from the community of Yaxley in the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto, along with the musical groups Ecos del Mayab and "Son Jarocho Los González," offered their prayers and songs to the Faithful Departed.

The celebration united residents of Playa del Carmen, who visited their faithful departed at the Municipal Cemetery this evening, and a large number of tourists from countries such as the United States, Canada, France, England, Argentina, and Colombia, who were marveled by this ancestral Mexican tradition full of color and the scent of marigold flowers and incense.

Municipal authorities in attendance included the Director General of the Municipal Institute of Culture and the Arts, Ernesto Martínez; the Secretary of Tourism, Estefanía Hernández; the Director of Sports, Alberto López; the Secretary of Public Services, Julieta Martín; the Director General of the DIF (Integral Family Development), Jesús Rodríguez; and the Secretary of Social Justice and Citizen Participation, Deyanira Martínez, as well as council members Javier Santos and Alma Angelina Rodríguez.

Meanwhile, at the Plaza 28 de Julio, students from Vizcaya University assembled the "Mega Catrina," which was offered free of charge to the thousands of attendees, along with a gastronomic sample called "Sabores Peninsulares Pib" (Peninsular Flavors Pib).

In the amphitheater, performances included Alebrijes from the Uqroo (University of Quintana Roo), "México tradicional" with artists from the CROC (Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants), the Orquesta Típica de Playa del Carmen, the "Amate" Academy of Dance and Performing Arts, and the folk ballet Sac Bé and Lol Bé, among others.

Throughout the day, the Art Gallery presented the offering of Dzul Marino. An altar adorned with paintings of skeletal women drew a large crowd. The exhibition of Jorge Silva and his photos of the Lacandon Jungle continues. The hours are from 12 noon to 8 at night.

This Sunday, the parade "U Ximbal 'ob. Paseo de los Pixanes" will take place, starting at 6:00 p.m. on Quinta Avenida at Constituyentes and concluding at the Plaza 28 de Julio, where the display of altars will continue and there will be an extensive artistic lineup in the amphitheater.