Vida Music Festival

The Vida Music Festival took place yesterday at the Pima County Fairgrounds as part of the Always Thinking Community in order to raise funds and awareness of the community.


"The festival is a way for us to help the cause of other community organizations while giving back to the community with good music," said community relations director Ric Carrillo.

About 40 different musical acts played across 7 different venues on the campgrounds ranging from Mexican rock to mariachi to the Maguire School of Irish Dance. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and tickets were $15.

"We also help individuals find their way and have an impact in the community by developing life plans to carry out. We like to help out both individuals and organizations of Tucson to help as many as possible at one time," Carrillo said.

DDLM events in Phoenix

If anyone is going to be in the Phoenix area over the next couple weekends, there are plenty of Dia de Los Muertos events occurring. There is an altar viewing, a Dia de Los Muertos exhibit, even a Mariachi groupin Mesa.

You say pinyada, I say piñata

The piñata is a brightly-colored paper container shaped as an animal/any figurine, and filled with candy and toys, popular within the Mexican culture during birthdays, Christmas and Easter. The Spanish word, piñata, comes from the Italian word pignatta, meaning a pinecone-shaped clay pot or, pigna meaning pinecone.

The piñata probably originates from the Aztecs. They made decorated clay pots representing a thunderstorm for the rain god, Tlaloc. When the pot was struck, it represented thunder and the flow of water represented a downpour of rain.

This is just researched origins as they are assumed to originate from the Aztecs as there are other various assumptions regarding its origins.

Next time you throw a birthday party, try and spice things up with your very own piñata.