LONGVIEW, Texas — Organizers of a Día de los Muertos event created a special ofrenda or altar dedicated to family and friends who've died ahead of big festival in Longview Saturday.
Día de los Muertos is a two-day holiday that commemorates the lives of loved ones who have passed away. It's a day that’s believed to be a special reunion between the living and the dead, as spirits return to visit their loved ones who're still alive.
"We prep everything for them as if they were going to come and join us on this day, We have things that they would like to eat, things that they would use in life and enjoy," said Brittiny Irish, Longview High School Spanish teacher.
The ofrenda is a representation of their loved ones' lives.
"It's an opportunity for us to really remember people who are a big part of our lives, not just alone on our own, but together as a community," Irish said.
For Irish, she remembers her grandfather and cousin -- who both passed away two years ago.
"Still a fresh hurt, but it's nice to imagine them coming and spending the day with us," Irish said.
Christina Hernandez, another member of the committee, brought a toy to remember the first death she experience -- her niece. And two years ago, her brother passed away two weeks after his wedding.
"That is a picture from his wedding. I brought just some fruit some food because he was a big eater," Hernandez said.
Kat Lawson helped bring the Día de los Muertos Festival to Longview. She honored her grandfather by bringing the community together.
"This is him here. He loved to make me tortillas handmade. He was called pow pow. And pow pow had many wonderful stories about Mexico," Lawson said. "We all can take time out of our busy life and just honor and remember our loved ones pass."
Two years ago, Toni Green also lost a grandparent. her abuela who was 96-year-old.
"My first memories of her are being a little girl in Mexico waking up to the sound of her sweeping the patio and making tortillas every morning. So of course there's tortillas and that's a core memory of my grandmother," Green said.
This festival is a representation of the growing Latino community in Longview.
On Saturday, there will be Día de los Muertos Festival at the Heritage Plaza in Longview from 4 to 8 p.m. The East Texas community can enjoy a parade, music, food and more activities honoring family and friends.