From 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 1, the Downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library will have a celebration of the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, for adults and teens (grade 6 and up) with local artists Gabrielle and Juan Javier Pescador and a performance by a traditional Aztec Dance Group directed by Estrella Torrez.

From an Ann Arbor District Library announcement:

Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) celebrations in Mexico date back almost 3,000 years! The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August, and was celebrated for an entire month.

The celebration, which usually occurs on the first day of November, has now spread to many parts of the U.S.

Celebrate Dia de los Muertos at AADL! Local artists Gabrielle and Juan Javier Pescador will discuss the history of this centuries-old holiday in conjunction with Javier's photography exhibit of traditional healers from contemporary Mexico. The event also includes a performance by a traditional Aztec Dance troupe directed by Estrella Torrez. For more information on this event call the Youth Department at 327-8301.

The Ann Arbor District Library is at 343 South Fifth Avenue in Ann Arbor.

Frances Kai-Hwa Wang is a second-generation Chinese American from California who now divides her time between Ann Arbor and the Big Island of Hawaii. She is editor of IMDiversity.com Asian American Village, lead multicultural contributor for AnnArbor.com, and a contributor for New America Media's Ethnoblog. She is a popular speaker on Asian Pacific American and multicultural issues. Check out her website at franceskaihwawang.com, her blog at franceskaihwawang.blogspot.com, and she can be reached at fkwang888@gmail.com.