Forest Lawn(Glendale) continued its tradition by bringing authentic Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations to the community this year virtually. On November 1, Forest Lawn transformed viewers’ homes into majestic spaces for remembrance, complete with marigolds, both live and larger-than-life sculpture Catrinas, folkloric dance performances, Mariachi music, a Bob Baker Marionette Theater performance, bilingual prayer and spoken word, and a brightly colored ofrenda (altar).

This virtual Día de los Muertos celebration marked the second appearance of 6-foot-tall Catrina sculptures – artisanal creations crafted by Forest Lawn’s floral designers and inspired by Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations. The skeletal women symbolize the return of departed loved ones and remind the living to be true to oneself and enjoy life. Each of Catrina sculpture has her own personality, with distinct costumes and accessories inspired by the early 20th century, the period in which Catrinas were first popularized by Jose Guadalupe Posada and Diego Rivera. In addition to the sculptures, there were two live Catrinas.

“Forest Lawn miss[ed] welcoming the public to our Día de los Muertos celebration in person, but we look[ed] forward to transforming this anticipated annual event into a virtual celebration,” said Rodolfo Saenz, senior vice president of marketing. “Our virtual event created authentic, at-home experiences for our community, allowing the public to celebrate and learn about Day of the Dead’s distinct traditions.”

View the celebration at facebook.com/forestlawn.

Forest Lawn also announced that its social media and television spot, “Special People,” received a Silver Award for “Best Online Commercial in Institutional/Corporate Image” in the 41st Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards, with more than 13,000 entries internationally, honor excellence in video and TV across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks and production companies.

The spot highlights Forest Lawn’s 100-plus-year creed of caring service and its team of compassionate individuals who have dedicated themselves to the spirit of service. It also won a Bronze Summit Creative Award in the Not-for-Profit Video category, a Silver MUSE Creative Award for Video and a Gold MUSE Creative Award for Social Media Video. To view “Special People,” go to youtube.com/watch?v=_7y_xHIqGCQ&feature=youtube.