If you are looking for an exciting event to do in Los Angeles that benefits the local community and celebrates diversity, then you’ve come to the right place.
This Saturday, October 12th, 2019 marks the tenth anniversary since the debut of El Velorio, (“The Wake”), which commemorates the end of the Day of the Dead celebrations.
For thousands of years, many living in Latin America and in the United States pay tribute to the Day of the Dead, which honors those that have died by celebrating the positive impact that those no longer with us have had on our lives, rather than mourning them, as common in Western society.
This annual event has become a lively scene, where Mexican culture blends traditional foods, dance and music which are on display for all in attendance to take in.
This year features a cant-miss line-up: Los Master Plus and Subsuelo will headline the event. Backstage will be hosted by Calipso and Maurcio Ahued. A documentary screening will take place by Carlos Almaraz.
Over two-hundred artists’ work will be on display with help by Antonio Pelayo himself and Shana Nys Dambrot.
Also a part of the ceremony of events is an “Arts” show, “Car” show and “Fashion” show. A $500 raffle will take place awarded to the “best dressed” couple. All twenty-one years of age or older are invited to attend.
Had you asked us forty years ago for what it was like to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in downtown Los Angeles, and you’d probably get this answer.
That is, it was never exceptionally entertaining, and was never on such a grandiose scale as to constitute a ‘spectacle.’
But thanks to the careful planning by one local artist-turned entrepreneur Antonio Pelayo, that has been long in the works, the final days of this ancient holiday celebrating the departed have been given a breath of new life.
Think of concerts at Red Rock, Coachella and Woodstock tribute bands…and right beside these landmark events stands El Velorio.
There is an interesting story behind all of this.
Featured in many news publications for his affiliation with the once premier “Ink and Paint” department of Walt Disney in the 1990s, Pelayo decided to give back to the community through event production celebrating his own heritage.
Through his full-service event production company founded about fourteen years ago, Pelayo has found creative ways to exhibit artwork of younger, less well-known artists, curate art shows and plan cultural events.
In 2005, Pelayo first began exhibiting his own art and that of other LA-based artists. And two years later, he began curating art on behalf of other artists, with modest success in one month’s time. In 2009, Antonio Pelayo Productions was born.
In a time when ink painters were being replaced with the new technologies such as Xerography and CAPS promising a bigger and brighter future, many Disney artist took the easy route and accepted severance packages, packed their paint and brushes in boxes and moved on with their lives.
Pelayo did what he knew was necessary for survival as an artist: he formed a new company which he would serve as its CEO rather than be beholden to anyone else.
Pelayo knew he had happened upon something special after organizing the first day of the dead event back in 2010. Then, there were twenty-five artists who participated, with over five hundred visitors who came to watch the event.
Fast-forward to the present, and El Velorio is now the largest event honoring the Day of the Dead in all of Los Angeles, drawing massive crowds and attention in local news outlets.
Also featured is, “Los Luchadores,” an event in special tribute to Mexican wrestling, which he coined with the phrase “la bulla,” which literally means, “the noise.” Even today, the name has special significance, as it was the name endearingly given to him growing up as a boy, when the most influential celebrity was Shibuya, the iconic Japanese Sumo wrestler.
The reference may expose a softer side of Pelayo whose role as the chief executive officer of the production company suggests someone who is removed from the sentimentality of the organized events, but instead as someone preoccupied with the dollars and cents, profit and loss statements and tax forms.
When asked whether the company’s bottom line is important, Pelayo had an unconventional response.
According to him, turning a profit is important; but it will never be as important as the number of lives his business positively affects. In his estimation, if he can inspire a young artist to discover in him or herself a talent and learn to work tirelessly to hone it—then that is in and of it self valuable.
This is why Pelayo works with the non-profit Plaza de la Raza, an organization headquartered in downtown Los Angeles, whose mission is to incorporate the art education in public schools.
Speaking on the subject of childhood, Pelayo admits that growing up wasn’t easy. A much younger Pelayo learned to make a living the hard way: he took a job shining shoes when he was only 8; then, in 1993, as a teenager he took a job at Walt Disney—his dream job—and worked alongside other “inkers,” or those responsible for creating etched graphite still frames for the creation of animated films released by Disney.
The Little Mermaid became the last movie that made use of the craft that Pelayo learned, shortly before it was replaced by automation.
On the subject of business, Pelayo spoke candidly, not afraid to discuss the real issues that business owners face on a daily basis. A word can be said about his formative experiences as an adolescent.
Owing to his early evangelical experiences as a Jehovah’s witness, the ability to inspire, motivate and awaken dormant feelings of sharing a common purpose and shared belonging to a larger group—played out in his organizing his own production company.
Eleven years later, Pelayo had taught himself nearly all of the aspects of successfully running a business—budgeting, forecasting, marketing, investment—and he didn’t even have to make an appearance on the Shark Tank…
Nevertheless, his business is not immune to the push and pulls of the market.
There is always a need to hire good people, Pelayo says, otherwise he is likely to lose money, presumably having to fix mistakes that could have been avoided the first time around.
Taking risks, though, sometimes costly, can help the business be more resilient, demonstrating Pelayo’s life-long passion for learning.
When a lackluster poetry performance had the unintended effect on the crowd of mellowing out the crowd rather than amping them up—Pelayo decided then and there that incorporating poetry when the audience was not prepared for it—was a costly mistake.
Outside of the business, we wonder what inspires Pelayo. And it shouldn’t be a surprise really, considering the incredible amount of drive and creative energy in one human being.
When Pelayo isn’t hard at work showcasing new artist, publicizing his own work, or raising funds for non-profits promoting arts education in the schools—Pelayo is himself creating new art. Portraits of celebrities. Family. Or of Latinix motifs.
Like his contemporary and influence Lori Lipton, for whom art is a full-time job worthy of sacrificing family, Pelayo still pines for that day when he can dedicate his entire day to creating art.
Until then, being credited as the one responsible for the most successful Day of the Dead event in downtown Los Angeles each year will suffice.
El Velorio is slated to begin on Saturday, October 12th, 2019 at 7:00p.m., and to conclude the next morning at 2:00am. Tickets range from $25 to $75, and can be purchased online at EventBrite.com, keyword search “El Velorio 10 Year Anniversary.”
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