A gold-and-red Catrina headpiece and dress, stitched together as a tribute to lost loved ones, now anchors a Día de los Muertos exhibit inside Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, where Catrina-inspired garments are on display. The exhibit draws from the annual Old Town Día de los Muertos Catrina contest and runs through November 2, turning the park's museums into a gallery of mourning, memory and craftsmanship.
The piece, created by artist Melissa Sinclair, incorporates an image of the Virgin Mary because her family is Catholic, as reported by CBS 8. Sinclair said she wanted to bring life to her family through her work, and told the station the exhibit means a great deal to her because it showcases her family members. The display runs daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through November 2, with a special celebration scheduled for Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Old Town State Historic Park, per the same outlet.
A Satirical Sketch Turned Global Symbol
A Satirical Sketch Turned Global Symbol The skeletal Catrina figure featured throughout the exhibit traces back more than a century, to a 1910-1912 zinc etching by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada called La Calavera Garbancera. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, Posada created the piece to mock Mexicans who denied their Indigenous heritage in favor of imitating European upper-class fashion. Muralist Diego Rivera later popularized the figure, cementing her as the visual centerpiece of Día de los Muertos celebrations across Mexico and the diaspora.
That history now lives inside the park's U.S. House Museum, where two temporary exhibitions showcase Catrina-inspired fashion and artwork, according to California State Parks. The temporary displays bring Catrina-inspired art and handmade garments into the museum.
Funding and Partnerships Behind the Display
The exhibit is a collaboration between the Old Town San Diego Chamber of Commerce and California State Parks, per CBS 8. Erin Liddell, director of development at the chamber, told the station the organization is excited to hold a museum dedicated to the artwork. Support also came from the California Arts in Parks program and the Boosters of Old Town.
Alexandra Latona, Interpreter III for the San Diego Coast District at California State Parks, said the grant funded artist support and amounted to $1,250, with the money going toward paying artists for their time and artistry, CBS 8 reported. The Boosters of Old Town contributed an additional $1,500. The state funding came through the California Arts in Parks program.
Student Voices and a Festival-Wide Finale
Inside the park's Captain Fitch Museum, a complementary exhibition titled Memory, Healing, Belonging displays student artwork presented by the San Diego Unified School District, California State Parks said. The showcase connects local public school art programs directly to the broader Día de los Muertos tradition unfolding around them in Old Town.
California State Parks announced that Old Town will host its peak three-day Día de los Muertos festival from October 31 through November 2, featuring more than 40 unique altars, hands-on craft stations and live music. The weekend has historically drawn more than 100,000 visitors to the historic district for music, food, altar tours and face painting, according to Day of the Dead SD. Nearby, Fiesta de Reyes got an early start on its own programming, launching a Día de los Muertos – La Experiencia display on September 1 with an integrated lighting package across the plaza for evening viewing through November 2, as reported by KPBS.
The celebration closes on the evening of Monday, November 2, with a candlelit procession from Twiggs Street to the historic El Campo Santo Cemetery, according to the Presidio Sentinel. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park became a state historic park in 1968.
