Cemetery of the Week #5 — Hollywood Forever — is hosting its 12th annual Dia de los Muertos celebration today from noon to midnight.
The heart of the festivities is represented by the altars to the beloved dead, which compete for several thousand dollars. The celebration also includes Mayan and Aztec rituals, dancing, a procession, a costume contest, and face painting for the kids.
Among those buried at Hollywood Forever are Peter Lorre, Cecil B. DeMille, Tyrone Power, Mel Blanc (whose headstone reads, “That’s all Folks!”), director John Huston, and many others from the fledgling film industry. More recently, they’ve been joined by Rozz Williams, Dee Dee Ramone, Yma Sumac, Darrin McGavin (The Night Stalker), and Fay Wray.
Founded in 1899, Hollywood Forever is a 64-acre park in the heart of Hollywood, truly unlike any other cemetery in the world. You can join Hollywood Forever’s Facebook friends here.
The official Day of the Dead page is here.
My visit to the Day of the Dead 2011 celebration is here.