Bare Hands, Inc.’s Behind the Mask

Join Bare Hands, Inc. for a special sneak peek preview into the Día de los Muertos Número 21 festival at Behind the Mask! On Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Rojo Birmingham, intricate festival masks created by local artists will be on display and for sale to immerse attendees in the Día de los Muertos festivities. The masks will be on display at Rojo beginning at the event and through the entire month of October. Remaining masks will be for sale at the mercado during the festival. Sales of the masks directly benefit Día de los Muertos Número 21. 

The masks on display are a large part of the creative extravagance seen at Día de los Muertos. Happening Thursday, Nov. 2 and Friday, Nov. 3 from 4 to 10 p.m. at Sloss Furnaces, Bare Hands, Inc.’s festival is one of the most ornamented Day of the Dead celebrations in the Southeast. From massive art installations, music performances and beautiful costumes, to a procession with puppets, homemade altars and food trucks, this beautiful cultural celebration is one of Birmingham’s must-attend events. 

Day of the Dead is a vibrant, colorful, joyful commemoration of lost loved ones which originated in Mexico centuries ago. At this event, there will be bright colors, elaborate face painting, butterflies, flowers, and plenty of sugar skulls. The day is similar to what we, in the Southern U.S., call Decoration Day. It combines storytelling, food, family, friends and memorials all in honor of those we cherish who are no longer with us. This year, Bare Hands, Inc. is pleased to present Número 21 as a full-scale celebration with Latin-American cuisine, music, dancers, spoken word, a memorial roll call, a procession with a second-line, an expanded area for memorial altars (ofrendas) and an artist market. 

Bare Hands, Inc. is a public charity run by a volunteer Board of Directors and powered by countless hours of dedicated community members. Each member tirelessly dedicates their time, year round, to the mission of collaborating with individuals and communities to create immersive arts experiences and arts education programs. This mission is addressed through the Día de los Muertos festival. The festival began in 2003 after a local artist, inspired by Mexico’s sacred Day of the Dead tradition, designed an ofrenda in memory of her father.

For more information about Día de los Muertos festival or Bare Hands, Inc., visit www.barehandsinc.org.