All Souls Procession
When: Sunday, Nov. 6
The procession starts at 6 p.m.Where: On North Grande Street between West Speedway Boulevard and West Ontario Street
By QUENTIN S. AGNELLO
Pima Post
As a resident of Tucson, I have participated in the All Souls Procession. It is a display of beauty and reverence that comes only once a year.
The idea of the tradition is to honor the ones you loved and cared about who have died. Many people gather to walk with the images of their dearly departed.
To people who know about Dia de Los Muertos, this is a familiar concept.
The origin of this event falls on one person. According to the All Souls website, an independent artist by the name of Susan Johnson was the first one to perform the ceremonial burning in the 1990s.
The average number of participants can get up to 150,000 people, and the procession generally travels a 2-mile stretch. Some attendees show up in massive stilt-walking costumes while others will have large, thematic parade floats. You never know what you might see each year.
The event is host to many different displays at the rally site, which is situated between the Tucson river and the Mercado San Agustin. There will be a large musical and artistic display along with a ceremonial burning of a large urn.
The urn is elegantly designed and made of welded metal. It is located at the front of the procession, and community members who pass by can place the names of their dearly departed into the urn. This urn is burned once the procession has gathered at the rally site.
The event is free. This year, attendees are encouraged to wear masks to avoid the spread of Covid-19.