Historical traditions of remembrance and honoring of the dead brought the Fort Collins community together in Old Town Square Nov. 1 for a Día de los Muertos celebration.
Rooted in Mexican cultural history, the holiday is a time when families welcome back the spirits of deceased loved ones for a joyful reunion, celebrating their lives through food, music and cherished memories.
Organized by Alianza NORCO and The MH Group, the free event welcomed people of all backgrounds to Old Town Square from noon to 4 p.m. Families gathered around community ofrendas — altars dedicated to loved ones who have died — while traditional folklórico dancers brought movement and color to the festivities.
As the mariachi performed “Cielito Lindo,” the voices of those in attendance joined together across Old Town Square, arms rose in the air, people swayed with one another and the familiar melody became a song shared by the crowd.
The beloved Mexican song’s refrain, “Canta y no llores” — which translates to “Sing and do not cry” — echoed the sentiment at the heart of event: remembering those who have died by celebrating the lives they lived.
Ivan Mendoza Hinojos, founder of The MH Group, said hearing the crowd sing together gave him chills.
“Grief and joy don’t have to exist away from each other,” Mendoza Hinojos said. “They can complement one another. Death is such a heavy thing for everyone, a simple act of joy goes a long way.”
While music and dancing filled the celebration with joy, the community ofrenda offered a place for quieter moments of remembrance.
Photographs of loved ones rested among bright orange Aztec marigolds, whose vibrant color and scent are traditionally believed to guide spirits home. Local business Burn Candle Bar — stylized as burn. Candle Bar — donated candles to the altar, adding a symbol of light and remembrance. Food, water and colorful perforated paper decorations completed the offerings.
Attendees brought photographs of loved ones to the ofrenda, each one an invitation to share stories, revisit happy moments and celebrate the people who made them possible.
“We wanted to create more than a beautiful display,” said Irving Mendoza Hinojos, the celebration’s 2026 lead and coordinator. “We wanted to create a space where people could honor their loved ones, share their memories, and feel connected to something greater than themselves.”
Patricia Alvarez Harrell, executive director of Alianza NORCO, said organizers created memorial spaces for Black and LGBTQIA+ community members whose lives had been taken, as well as for people who died as a result of actions taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Alvarez Harrell said creating a space to remember the lives lost to injustice provided community members the opportunity to come together through their cultural traditions.
“We believe deeply in the saying ‘la cultura cura,’ which translates to ‘culture heals,’” Alvarez Harrell said in a written response to The Collegian. “Our traditions are more than celebrations. They are opportunities for connection, remembrance and healing, and we heal better when we heal together.”
Local businesses extended the celebration beyond the square and throughout downtown Fort Collins.
Sue Charles, a floral designer and manager at Paul Wood Florist, created a personal tribute to women who had died, displaying photographs of her family members and actress Betty White on a storefront ofrenda. Paul Wood Florist also provided support for the celebration by providing discounted flowers to organizers and participating in Alianza NORCO’s third annual Muertos Crawl.
Charles said the event helped attendees meet new people, whom she described as positive and enthusiastic.
In front of the The Emporium, a local restaurant on Walnut Street, there was an ofrenda displaying photographs of loved ones along with bread and water, while a specialty Día de los Muertos margarita brought a touch of festivity to the restaurant and bar.
For Ivan Mendoza Hinojos, the involvement of local businesses represented something greater than individual contributions. The celebration served as an invitation for businesses to become more involved in their community, creating opportunities to spread joy, build relationships and share in traditions of remembrance. The involvement aligned with what he called “the power of the collective.”
Alvarez Harrell said coming together at this time of fear and uncertainty held particular significance.
“This celebration was about more than honoring our traditions,” Alvarez Harrell said. “It was about reclaiming space, celebrating our culture and reminding one another that even in difficult times, we have each other.”
After weeks of preparation, long nights and unexpected challenges, Irving Mendoza Hinojos recalled looking across Old Town Square at the families smiling, children dancing and generations gathering to celebrate their heritage.
“There was a moment when I looked around and thought, ‘We did this,'” Irving Mendoza Hinojos said. “‘We created something that matters.'”
He said the moment was personal for him as a young Latine leader.
“We did this for our ancestors, for our families and for the generations who came before us and those who will come after us,” Irving Mendoza Hinojos said.
Reach Scout Kingsley at life@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
