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The fall is our favorite season here in Top Mexico Real Estate: the weather cools down, the beaches<\/a> are not so packed with people, and we get to enjoy Halloween and the Day of the dead. However, one of our favorite activities is the Festival de Vida y Muerte at Xcaret Park; a festival so lively you might forget we are celebrating the dead.<\/p>\n The Festival de Vida y Muerte has been held at Xcaret for 10 years, and it is one of the events you cannot miss if you are visiting the Riviera Maya. The idea of the festival is to showcase the Mexican traditions for the day of the dead, a celebration known all over the world thanks to the popularity of sugar skull makeup<\/a> and movies like The Book of Life<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Day of the Dead celebrates the life of our ancestors and the people that has left before us, and the traditions vary according to the different regions of Mexico. These celebrations are considered Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO<\/a>, and places like Patzcuaro<\/a> and Oaxaca<\/a> are renowned for their amazing celebrations.<\/p>\n Some people celebrates at the cemetery, where the family crypt is cleaned, painted and decorated with flowers, candles and the deceased favorite food. In other regions, people remember the departed by building shrines at home<\/a>; with food, drink, or anything the people enjoyed while they were alive.<\/p>\n This event recognizes the regional variations in the festivity, and for this reason they invite a different Mexican State to be the guest of honor and share their food, culture and traditions. This year Puebla <\/a>was the special guest, and there were plenty of colorful displays, 11 different food stands and 27 traditional shrines.<\/p>\n During the festival, there is a wide variety of activities like: theater, music, displays and even workshops. This year the main event s the Lila Downs<\/a> concert on the nights of the 1st and 2nd of November. Lila Downs is a Mexican-American singer who delighted the audience with her beautiful voice, and a special program of songs to celebrate the day of the dead.<\/p>\n This event is a must see if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re visiting the Riviera Maya; you cannot miss the color, the traditions, and being part of this unique celebration. If you are a local or a permanent resident with an ID from Quintana Roo, Yucatan, Campeche or Puebla, there are special discounts in admission fees. You can get your tickets here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/i255.photobucket.com\/albums\/hh138\/beatlo\/altar_zpsp81hr6oa.jpg\")
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