Day of the Dead Altar At the Mercado in Tucson

Last night we were invited to the "Art for Art (Chapa)" event at the Mercado.  This event helps raise funds to support education and health services in the fight against gastric cancer. [Go to www.artchapafoundation.org for more information].  The event allowed us to visit the amazingly decorated Day of the Dead Altar which is pictured here.  In Tucson, partly due to the Hispanic cultural influence and partly, I would add, due to the inclusionary attitude of our community (which, as a whole, was not supportive of SB 1070), and, also because of the diverse number of artists in the Tucson area---the Halloween season extends three or four days beyond (we have a photo exhibit for the All Souls Celebration, the Procession of Little Angels, Soul Poetry) into tomorrow this year when the All Souls Procession expect to gather 45,000 people together and ends with the Dance of the Dead Concert at the Rialto.  What a wonderful abundance of culture and community!