Marigolds, sugar skulls, and sweet bread fill Lansing this week as families prepare to honor their loved ones for Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. It’s a time not for mourning, but for celebration, turning loss into color, creativity, and fun.
According to Michigan State University’s Julian Samora Research Institute, Michigan’s Hispanic and Latino community continues to grow. As of 2022, there were nearly 575,000 Latino residents, showing an almost 30% increase since 2010.
That steady rise helps explain why Day of the Dead celebrations are becoming more visible across mid-Michigan, from private remembrances and school projects to community art shows and large public altars or “ofrendas.”
These ofrendas are decorated with photos, candles, flowers, favorite foods, artwork, and more. They can appear in homes, classrooms, and galleries. Each one tells a story: a child’s toy, a grandmother’s recipe, a musician’s guitar pick.
“You might see salt for purity, candles to guide the spirits, flowers for the sun, and sugar skulls. Sometimes chocolate or ceramic. It’s a unique kind of art.” said Lansing Community College (LCC) Strategic Enrollment Management Support Specialist Katerin Niño, who grew up celebrating the holiday in Mexico.
Niño says her favorite tradition is culinary. “For me, it’s the pan de muerto, a sweet bread my dad would bring from the bakery,” she said. “We’d eat it with hot chocolate after putting the altar away. It’s comforting, like closing the season together.”
“It takes that grief we have when we think about death and turns it into joy,” said Cruz Villarreal, a member of LCC’s Hispanic Heritage Awareness Committee, who celebrates his late son. “You’re not dead to your family until nobody remembers you. Día de los Muertos keeps our families and histories alive.”
For Sarah Ortiz, LCC’s Manager of Enrollment Support Services, the holiday became a source of comfort. “Three years ago, my dad passed away,” Ortiz said. “Creating an ofrenda for him really helped me. He was a firefighter and loved Coca-Cola and sweets, so I include those every year. It makes me excited to set it up because it keeps his memory alive.”
“I love when people ask me about my dad,” she added. “That’s why this celebration means so much. It lets you share those stories.”
While some local Hispanic cultural organizations are observing the holiday privately this year, community members say the heart of Day of the Dead, which is connection through creativity, remains unshaken.
“We will always celebrate,” Villarreal said. “The world changes, but our families and traditions don’t disappear. They live through us.”
That spirit shows up in every painted skull, every candle lit, and every shared meal. Day of the Dead reminds the living that love doesn’t end. It transforms and adapts every year for all cultures.
“It started in Hispanic culture, but it’s embraced around the world now. We want everyone to celebrate, to learn, to create, and to remember!” said Sophia Estrada-Ferreira, chair of LCC’s Hispanic Heritage Awareness Committee.
Celebrate Day of the Dead Around Lansing:
Oct 29
Día de los Muertos Celebration - Lansing Community College
November 1
Día de los Muertos Night - Grand Café Sir Pizza (18+)
November 1
Candles & Calacas 5K Fun Run/Walk - Candles and Calaca