Celebrations of life and death take to downtown streets

What started as a small performance by a local artist grieving her father’s death in 1990, has turned into a full weekend celebration that brings more than 150,000 people to the streets of downtown Tucson.

“When we can grieve together, it allows us to celebrate more fully together,” said Sharon O’Brien, artistic director of Stories that Soar, an organization that turns children’s writings into plays.

The group is performing in the finale of the Procession of Little Angels on Saturday, Nov. 7, which celebrates the lives of deceased loved ones from the perspective of a child, and is part of All Souls weekend.

“All Souls is such a community driven event, you can express your feelings and carry your own beliefs and there’s no right or wrong way to do that,” O’Brien said.

Honoring a loved one at the procession can be as simple as carrying a photo or placing his or her name in the urn or as elaborate as carrying puppets, dressing in costume or creating a float.

This year’s finale theme is “UnMournable Bodies” to honor the “many forgotten and often vilified souls we lose each year.”

“We have been collecting names to include in the finale projection — homeless people who have died on the streets of Tucson, immigrants who have died crossing the desert,” said Melanie Cooley, board member of Many Mouths One Stomach. “That’s one of several ways that we will be incorporating those who are marginalized in our culture, those whose deaths don’t inspire public mourning.”

Here’s a rundown of the weekend’s events.

• Night of the Living Fest III

• runs from Friday, Nov. 6, to Sunday, Nov. 8 at La Cocina 201 N. Court Ave. The three-day party features a huge line up of musicians, games, art installations, food, beverages, Freestyle Chatroulette by Michael Gaughan and more. Tickets are $25-30. Money from ticket sales and 25 percent of alcohol sales goes to the All Souls Procession.

• The Procession of Little Angels

• takes place from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Armory Park, where children and families get together to paint wings, create paper flowers, get their faces painted and dress in costumes to celebrate the lives of those they’ve lost.

“It’s such a community event that draws everyone together as people, since we all face life and death” said Jhon Sanders, director of the Procession of Little Angels.

The event has grown since it started in 2006. “We did 100 wings that year and we’re at 500 this year,” Sanders said. And that’s not even enough for all of the children who attend.

The event culminates in a procession around the park and performances by Stories that Soar and Tucson Circus Arts students.

There is also a children’s altar — for children who have died — and a personal altars vigil memorializing deceased loved ones.

New this year is a digital shrine by Sharon Stevens, founder of Equinox Vigil in Canada. Stevens will project messages to the dead onto a screen. Messages may be submitted online at allsoulsprocession.org/event/digital-shrine before Saturday. The event is free, but donations will be accepted.

Here are more ways to take part:

• Those who can’t make it to the procession

• on Sunday, Nov. 8 can submit online messages or prayers to be burned in the urn during the finale. The deadline is 8:05 a.m. Sunday.

• The All Saints Concert

• is an outdoor classical concert featuring guitarist,

• Eduardo Minozzi

• Costa. It starts at 2 p.m. at Tucson Mountain Foothills, 5650 S. Saddleridge Lane. Ticket prices range from $60 to $120. Sixty percent of proceeds go to Many Mouths One Stomach.

• Avenida de Memoria Pre-Party

• at Haggerty Plaza, 316 N. Fourth Ave., will offer face painting, music and a chance to drop off your message or prayer for the urn from 4 to 6 p.m.

• Face Paint Town Pre-Party

• at

• Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, includes free music and refreshments from 2 to 6 p.m. Face painting starts at 3 p.m.

• All Souls Procession and Finale Ceremony

• . The procession starts gathering at Sixth Avenue and Seventh Street, at 4 p.m. Only gather there if you plan to walk in the procession. You may also join in to walk anywhere along the route, as well. Hungry Ghost Busking Troupe will be at the gathering point, along the procession and at the finale grounds with pedicabs, bullhorns and signs to identify them. They busk for donations, which support the procession. The procession starts at 6:30 p.m., making its way to Mercado San Agustin for the finale, which will start around 8:30 p.m.