Chandler Day of the Dead exhibit, celebration honors immigrant aide

This alter, created by the family of Virginia Cardenas, is part of a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibit, "Pieces Behind the Altar," at the Xico Gallery in Downtown Chandler. It will be on display through Nov. 7.
Byline: Weldon B. Johnson/The Arizona Republic

The celebration of life is 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park in Downtown Chandler.

The celebration includes music, dance, arts and crafts, food and children’s activities. There will be storytellers from the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute. Those who attend are invited to leave a memento on the community altar.

The festival concludes with a candlelight procession through the park at 5:30 p.m., and the singing of traditional songs at the communitycommunity who died July 1.

Cárdenas spent much of her professional life working with recent immigrants or their families. She served as a counselor at Chandler High School and Arizona State University and was an adviser to the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program. She had a passion for the arts and culture, at one time serving as chair of the Arizona Commission on the Arts and was a Xico Inc., board member.

The altar that serves as the centerpiece of this year’s Dia De Los Muertos exhibit at the gallery, 44 S. San Marcos Place, was created in her honor by her husband, José.

“There are all of the traditional elements. It’s also fairly elaborate,” Cárdenas said. “On the right side there is kind of the traditional Catholic view. It’s a little bit