The 2023 Día de los Muertos Festival is underway at the Mesa Arts Center, and events will continue Sunday, Oct. 22.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21-22 with Amazon as the presenting sponsor, according to a release.

The sponsorship also supports the Ofrenda Artist Residency, a new educational program in select Title I schools in the Valley.

The Ofrenda Artist Residency program “engages a skilled teaching artist of Mexican heritage to share the meaning and joy of Día de los Muertos with local schools,” the release stated.

The artist guides students in crafting distinctive and traditional Día de los Muertos altars, fostering an understanding of the cultural and artistic importance of each altar component.

The student-created altars will be showcased at this weekend’s festival.

“We’re excited to work with Amazon to expand our Día de los Muertos celebrations and engage local students with the Ofrenda Artist Residency pilot program,” Mandy Tripoli, interim director of Mesa Arts Center, said.

“We plan to expand this program to more schools in the future.”

The Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., celebrates Día de los Muertos with an annual event co-created with the Mexican Consulate of Phoenix and the community.

The festival celebrates Latin American art and culture, centered around the Mexican holiday, the Day of the Dead.

The  free event offers a variety of features, performances and more, honoring the memories of the departed.

“At the heart of the festival stands the community altar, accompanied by wonderful music, a bustling mercado, delicious food and artist demos that fill the campus with hands-on, engaging activities,” the release stated.

To learn more about the Día de los Muertos Festival and Mesa Arts Center’s engagement programs, visit mesaartscenter.com.