Elgin’s municipal government, the Parks and Recreation department, the Elgin Public Library and the Elgin Arts Association hosted the 2nd Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival on Nov. 1. Throughout downtown Elgin, there were strolling mariachis, ballet folkloric dancers, Spanish musicians and fire dancers. The committee hosted a costumed walking parade thatincluded women dressed as Las Damas accompanied by a serenading dead charro, giant skeleton puppets, stilt walkers, participants dressed as monarch butterflies, and a large alebrijebutterfly bringing up the rear in a pickup truck. Monarch butterflies represent the souls of the departed returning for the joyful festivities each year. An alebrije is a colorful fantastical creature, originating in Mexico in the 1930s by Pedro ...