Mexicantown restaurant and market plans Day of the Dead celebration Thursday

Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press
Updated ·2 min read

The vibrant colors and wistful memories associated with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) will be plentiful Thursday at Detroit’s newest event surrounding the Mexican holiday. Restaurant and market La Jaliscience in southwest Detroit is holding an inaugural family-friendly party from 3 to 9 p.m., with something to offer everyone.

The parking lot will be transformed into an open-air market with live music, vendors and entertainment as well as an ofrenda, an altar where guests can place photos of loved ones who have died as well as items their loved ones once enjoyed such as candy, food, tequila, beer and art.

“Día de los Muertos has such a strong meaning in our culture," said Jose Vargas, 23, operations manager and head cook at La Jaliscience (pronounced “HA-lee-syen-say”). "And in Mexico, just because we’re so close to family. Losing someone you love is devastating, and every year when Dia de los Muertos comes around, you’re able to cherish those memories and have hope that you’ll be reunited with them someday.

“We want to introduce our culture and some of the days that we celebrate in Mexico to people here. Cinco de Mayo is not one of those days, by the way. But this is something we want to bring here to the community in Detroit, learning about the Mexican culture and what it really is.”

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La Jaliscience has been in operation for 10 years and serves Detroiters in the neighborhood known as Mexicantown. Their restaurant serves a host of familiar menu items, while the grocery side of the business sells fresh vegetables, premium meat cuts from a butcher counter and miscellaneous items like soap, beer and cigarettes.

Food and pictures of loved ones that have passed are placed on the “ofrenda” outside in preparation for the inaugural Dia de los Muertos Tianguis/Festival at La Jalisciense Supermercado & Taqueria in southwest Detroit on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. An ofrenda is an altar, built to honor lost loved ones. Offerings are placed upon the ofrenda, to help us remember, learn about, and celebrate their lives. Traditional ofrendas are full of symbols and meaning, which have a long history with the holiday and people.

Tickets for their Dia de los Muertos celebration are $5 in advance or $10 at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased at https://bit.ly/Dia-de-Muertos-LaJali. La Jaliscience is at 3923 Vernor Highway; extra parking for the event will be available next to La Jaliscience and Mangonadas del Barrio, which is one block away. Questions can be answered by contacting lajalisciencedetroit@gmail.com.

Additionally, the store has created a Día de los Muertos playlist, which can be found on Spotify.

Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mexicantown restaurant and market plans Day of the Dead fest Thursday