MUSCATINE, Iowa – The Muscatine Art Center invites families to celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Saturday, November 1, from 1:30 to 4 p.m. The event features an afternoon of free, hands-on activities, artmaking, and bilingual performances honoring this vibrant Mexican tradition. Admission is free, and no registration is required.
Throughout the afternoon, guests can participate in arts and crafts such as dancing skeletons and butterfly-themed projects inspired by the work of the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre. Families can also create finger puppets using colorful materials like wooden beads and pompoms.
Art educator Julie Lear will lead an ancestral altar activity honoring Laura Musser, the original “lady of the house” whose legacy continues through the Musser-McColm Mansion, now home to the Muscatine Art Center. Members of the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will be on-site providing Calaveras (skull) face painting and sharing information about the Chamber’s community initiatives.
The celebration will feature two bilingual puppet shows presented by the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre, a longtime Muscatine favorite known for its handcrafted puppets and creative storytelling.
- 1:30 p.m. – “Uncle Rabbit’s Adventures / Las Aventuras de Tío Conejo” - Developed by Monica Leo in collaboration with her late Mexican partner Eli Portugal, this lively tale—told in both English and Spanish—combines international trickster stories Tops and Bottoms and The Goat in the Garden to follow Uncle Rabbit and his wife Rosita as they outsmart Señor Cabra, a stingy goat unwilling to share his harvest.
- 3:30 p.m. – “Nacho and Yoyo’s Escapades / Las Escapadas de Nacho y Yoyo” - This bilingual performance follows siblings Lupita and Juanito as they chase their mischievous pets—a chihuahua and a circus monkey—through Iowa City’s barrio, blending local history with music, humor, and colorful characters.
Additional scheduled activities include a 2:15 p.m. ancestral altar workshop with Julie Lear and a 2:45 p.m. butterfly craft led by Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre. Hands-on studio crafts will be available throughout the event from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
Activities will take place on all three floors of the Stanley Gallery. Visitors are encouraged to park in the Cedar Street parking lot and enter through the first-floor studio classroom.
Event Schedule at a Glance:
- 1:30 p.m. – Puppet Show: “Uncle Rabbit’s Adventures / Las Aventuras de Tío Conejo”
- 2:15 p.m. – Ancestral Altar for Laura Musser with Julie Lear
- 2:45 p.m. – Butterfly Craft with Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre
- 3:30 p.m. – Puppet Show: “Nacho and Yoyo’s Escapades / Las Escapadas de Nacho y Yoyo”
The Day of the Dead celebration offers a meaningful and engaging way for families to remember loved ones and learn about cultural traditions through art, music, and storytelling.
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The Muscatine Art Center is open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. The Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. For more information, visit www.muscatineartcenter.org or call 563-263-8282.