Evergreen Washelli held its fourth annual Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead

Story & Photos by David Carlos

From 5pm to 9pm on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Evergreen Washelli Cemetery at 11111 Aurora Ave. N, Seattle, had its fourth annual Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.

The Mexican holiday honors the lives of one’s dearly departed. It’s not meant to be scary like Halloween. It’s a festive act of love for those friends and family who have passed on. Photos, food, and personal belongings are displayed to remember them. The spirits, for their part, return to visit the living.

Walk through the rooms with me in this 3 minute video

Enter the door, and colorful banners called papel picado (punched paper) adorn the ceilings. (These, however, are made of plastic.) The intricately detailed symbols, such as skulls, signify the fragility of life.

Head straight to the main room, and two giant figures appear. They are calacas gigantes (giant skeletons).

To the left is an altar, or ofrenda. As a sign says, "An ofrenda can be large and elaborate, and is created by the family members of a person who has died. It is intended to remember the loved ones who have passed and welcome the spirit."

Keep walking. There are many smaller rooms, each offering something different.

One has a man making balloon animals, while nearby is a crafts table. A face-painting station is also available. The Disney movie "Coco" plays on a TV screen.

There's a dining area where people can sit and enjoy tamales. There's vanilla-flavored atole, a warm, creamy, milky-looking beverage made from corn masa.

A small room is even set aside for tarot card readings.

Lastly, there's a quiet room in case things get a little too loud and frenzied and you need to relax.

A woman dressed as La Catrina roams the staging area. She is dressed in an elegant white gown, her face in a skull makeup. She speaks not a word as she walks gracefully among the crowd.

The highlights of the evening are a mariachi band and ballet folklórico performances. The lively music would please anyone, living or visiting souls.

I ask a lady wearing skull earrings, "What does Dia de los Muertos mean to you personally?"

She seems eager to answer. I learn her name is Oralia. She says, "Well, I've had a lot of family members pass. Within five years, I lost three family members, so it's really dear to my heart. I also lost my parrot that I had for 48 years. So Day of the Dead helps me celebrate their life. And it's a way of me honoring them."

I ask, "Is it a sad event for you?"

Oralia says, "It's kind of a happy event because I know that they come back. Well, not them, but their souls. And I get to celebrate with them every year. You know, instead of just grieving over that they've passed."

I go to Scott Shehan, the general manager of Washelli, and ask, "Why do you think it's important for our community to host events like this?"

Scott says, "For us, it's the ability to recognize the community and such a tremendous cultural background and experience. We serve many different cultures, and this is a way to really celebrate that with Dia de Los Muertos. The community has responded so favorably that we want to be a part of it."

The atmosphere is happy and celebratory, not gloomy and scary as one might expect from talk of death. I ask Scott, "What's been the feedback from people?"

He replies, "Very, very positive. It is a happy event. And that's one of the things I really appreciate about it is that it recognizes the loss and the death that has occurred, but it is also uplifting and celebrating that life."

Outside, food trucks sell churros and tacos, adding to the festive atmosphere.

The Day of the Dead is a celebration of those who have passed on. And as the evening at Evergreen Washelli shows, the living have a pretty good time, too.