Los Muertos Bailan Block Party

Co-Producing South Texas’ Largest Day of the Dead Celebration

Role: Creative Lead & Media Partner (via Area956)
Timeline: Annual (2023–2024, Ongoing)
Client: City of Edinburg, Museum of South Texas History (MOSTHistory)
Scope: Creative execution — event branding, cinematic video production, social promotion, live coverage, and cultural storytelling (in partnership with City of Edinburg and MOSTHistory)

The Opportunity

The City of Edinburg hosts Los Muertos Bailan—the largest Day of the Dead block party in South Texas—to honor loved ones through art, music, and community. As an official co-host alongside MOSTHistory, Area956 was tasked with capturing the event’s vibrant spirit and amplifying its reach across the Rio Grande Valley, ensuring thousands of residents could experience this free, family-friendly celebration.

My Approach

• Cinematic Storytelling: Shot drone and ground-level footage of the full procession from 8th St. to MOSTHistory, chalk art competition, Catrina contest, folkloric dancers, and live performances (including Elida Reyna y Grupo Avante).
• Cultural Sensitivity: Framed the event not as “spooky” but as a joyful, authentic Día de Muertos—highlighting altars, community memory, and local tradition.
• Social & Digital Promotion: Created Reels, Stories, and posts to drive pre-event registration (e.g., Catrina Contest) and share real-time moments, leveraging Area956’s 250K+ RGV audience.
• Collaborative Partnership: Worked directly with Edinburg city staff and MOSTHistory to align on messaging, access, and respectful representation of the altar dedicated to Fire Chief Shawn Snider.

Tools: DJI Drone, Adobe Creative Suite (Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator), Meta Social, Canva

The Result

✅ Helped draw thousands of attendees to downtown Edinburg—the city’s largest cultural festival
🎥 Produced official recap videos used by the City and MOSTHistory for grants, press, and future planning
📢 Drove contest registrations and community engagement via targeted social content
🤝 Solidified Area956’s role as a trusted cultural partner in major civic events