Written by Dena DaSilva

The significance of La Catrina

“La Catrina” or “La Calavera Garbancera,” which originated in 1913 by a Mexican cartoon illustrator named José Guadalupe Posada, has become a popular icon around the world! The image portrays an elegant female skeleton or “calavera” dressed in an early 20th century European style hat. Posada originally etched La Catrina as a satirical depiction of those Mexican natives who, he felt, were aspiring to adopt European aristocratic traditions in the pre-revolution era. She eventually became an icon of the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday.

During the celebrations of the Day of the Dead, you’ll often see many people walking around with painted skull/skeleton faces. Some are very elaborate and very beautiful and some go all out and dress in full costumes as well.

The festival and parade

The Todos Somos Catrinas art and cultural festival begins at 5PM with a cultural art exhibition in the Quinta Alegria Shopping Mall on 5th Avenue at the corner of Constituyentes. Then starting at 6PM in the Paseo del Carmen shopping plaza, the parade of Las Catrinas begins. There will be Catrina artists there if you feel like participating and transforming into an elegant Catrina and making the march up 5th.

The parade route goes up 5th Avenue to Quinta Alegria where the art exhibit is and then continues on to Plaza 28 de Julio (in front of Town Hall) where the festival begins in the open air theater at 7PM. Admission is free.

The festival and parade festivities finish at 9PM but there will be a contest of catrinas and catrines held at The Public Place (Plaza Coba) at 11PM. Prizes awarded to 1st through 3rd place in both categories and admission is free

For this edition, the image of La Catrina is the focus and the slogan of “Todos Somos Catrinas” or “We Are All Catrinas” is meant to honor a collective of women artists from Playa del Carmen that help the town celebrate the art, beauty and culture of Mexico in lavish style. This is an event not to be missed. It’s a beautiful celebration of life in honoring the dead and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a wonderful and traditional event.