Olvera Street remains a nostalgic picture of Old Mexico, suspended in time. The shops are filled with wooden trinkets and traditional fabrics. Known as the “Birthplace of Los Angeles”, every year Olvera Street hosts several cultural events to celebrate its proud and enduring history. Among these are the Dia de los Muertos festival ( which began last Friday, October 25th). The festivities, aren’t just fun, they are spiritual. Families honor ancestors through Catholic processions and Aztec rituals. In the past, the city of Los Angeles has guaranteed financial support for this event but as competition grows for city funding the Olvera Street Merchant Association had to find a new way to keep the festival alive! According to the LA Times the city was going to let corporations or merchant groups bid to sponsor the event. In order to not be outbid, the Olvera Street Merchant Association turned to Kickstarter.com. They were reluctant at first, as many of the members are older and not tech savvy. This awesome resource resulted in a campaign that raised $12,000 in 45 days! Don’t forget to check out the Dia de los Muertos Festival through november 4th. For more information check out the website : http://www.calleolvera.com/eve…
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCLA chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.