Día de Muertos and Halloween at Costa Verde

On Saturday, October 31^st, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Costa Verde International School hosted their annual Día de Muertos and Halloween fiesta at the school.  Postponed a day due to heavy rains in Sayulita, this change in date did not effect the number of children and adults who attended this event, which was open to the public.

Approximately 200 people, many dressed in costume, showed up to celebrate the festivities. Spiders hung from the trees, the altars glowed from candlelight, and there was an air of excitement as children excitedly traded in their tickets to play games and participate in activities.

A spinning wheel game, where prizes included a Halloween CVIS shirt, candy, and tickets, was the most sought after game, followed by the cakewalk. Other activities and entertainment included a “Hit the Monster” bean bag toss, painting pottery, a photo booth, a performance by children from the circus school in San Pancho, and even a haunted theater.

“We used scenes and shots from the most iconic horror movies and thrillers. We wanted to do something different this year,” said Niki Bhattacharya, a former filmmaker in New York, who recently moved to Sayulita and put together the film.

Kids of all ages, including adults, had a great time. “I liked watching the people that were watching the movie getting scared by the real people dressed up in the scary costumes,” exclaimed Talula Koch, a 7^th grader at CVIS. “The cake walk is amazing. My brother, Jesh, always wins,” said Sara Nava, an 8^th grader at CVIS, while licking frosting off her fingers.

There was also a variety of food and refreshments, which included Naty’s Tacos, cookies, candy, agua frescas, and more.

This Dia de Muertos and Halloween fiesta was planned and orchestrated by the Association of Parents Organization (APO). This group of parents, all of which have students at Costa Verde, work hard to raise money to benefit the school and the children.

“I am feeling very proud of our work and everyone that participated did an excellent job. I’m so grateful for all the help. We do this for the children. It’s a special day for them,” said Alejandra Galvan, president of the APO.