Beyond the Screen: Strathmore Celebrates Día de los Muertos with Coco and a Latin American Arts Market

Written by Rachel Migone | November 2, 2026

Disney and Pixar’s Coco came to life at Strathmore through a live orchestral performance and a Latin American arts market celebrating Día de los Muertos. Presented in partnership with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County, the event combined music, film, and shopping to offer audiences an opportunity to experience cultural traditions beyond the movie screen. Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition with roots in pre-Hispanic beliefs. Observed primarily on November 1 and 2, the holiday brings families together to remember and honor deceased loved ones. The concert and market were part of Strathmore’s WINDOWS series, launched in 2017 to deepen audiences’ understanding of mainstage performances through educational and cultural experiences, including classes, lectures, workshops, and other activities led by experts in their fields.

A Marketplace of Art, Culture, and Community

As part of the WINDOWS experience, Recuerdos: A Latin American Arts Market welcomed visitors to shop in the lobby before the concert, during intermission, and after the performance. The market featured art, clothing, coffee, jewelry, and flowers from 13 artisans representing Latin American cultures. Mauricio Vásquez, executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County, envisioned the two experiences complementing each other. While Coco introduced audiences to Mexican cultural traditions through storytelling and music, the market offered visitors an opportunity to experience Latin American cultures through art, craftsmanship, and personal interactions. Together, the concert and marketplace created a cultural experience that extended beyond the auditorium.

Ghina Marin of Insogifts (insogifts.etsy.com) explained the personal connection behind her business: “Insogifts is much more than selling beautiful products. I always say that we don’t just sell a product; we tell a story, and our customers become part of that story.” Her brightly colored jewelry, bags, and knitted stuffed animals brought visitors to her table, especially children. Oscar Andrade, a Colombian arts and cultural ambassador and florist with Pistils and Stamen (pistilsandstamenmd@gmail.com), also emphasized the importance of the market for small businesses. “These events mean the world to small businesses who otherwise do not have the means or resources to get really tapped into the community like this.” For Andrade, the opportunity extended beyond selling merchandise to building relationships with new customers and the wider community.

Bringing Coco to Life Through Music

While the market brought the cultural traditions featured in Coco beyond the screen, Orquesta Folclórica Nacional de México deepened the film’s storytelling through live music. Blending pre-Hispanic and Spanish colonial instruments, the orchestra performed the film’s score live, adding another dimension to the audience’s experience. Conductor Esin Aydingoz described the orchestra’s role as bringing “the music forward so audiences can fully appreciate the performance and discover details they may never have noticed before.” She explained that the musicians remain faithful to the composer’s vision, carefully preserving the dynamics, tempos, and synchronization with the film. As she observed, the music “carries the characters’ passion, grounds us in their culture, and gives voice to feelings they cannot always express in words.” Aydingoz also described conducting “La Llorona” as a particularly poignant moment: “Mamá Imelda’s transformation in that scene moves me deeply…There was a period in my own life when my relationship with music felt broken, so I know how powerful it can be to fall in love with it again.”

While the music created an emotional connection to the film, Strathmore also sought to extend that experience to audiences with a variety of interests. Lauren Campbell, Vice President of education and community engagement at Strathmore, explained that the concert and market could appeal to Disney and Pixar fans, live music enthusiasts, children excited to dress up and go trick-or-treating, and visitors who celebrate or want to learn more about Día de los Muertos. Strathmore also offered treats during the event. Campbell emphasized the importance of relationships Strathmore has developed within the community over the years, describing the partnership with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery County as an example of how those connections continue to grow. Vásquez helped bring together the 13 vendors who participated in the market, creating an opportunity for local artisans and small businesses to connect with a wider audience.

Beyond the Screen: Experiencing Coco Live

The Recuerdos market invited concertgoers to participate in the cultural experience from the moment they arrived. Colorfully decorated tables created a festive atmosphere as visitors browsed merchandise and spoke with artists and vendors offering goods representing El Salvador, Colombia, Oaxaca in Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador, Honduras, and other Latin American communities. When the auditorium lights signaled the start of the performance, the audience moved from the lively marketplace into the world of Coco. As the film began and the orchestra struck its first chords, the live music blended seamlessly with the action on screen. I found myself absorbed in the story, occasionally shifting my attention from the movie to the musicians performing below. Watching the orchestra while following the story highlighted what made this performance different from a traditional movie screening. The music was not simply accompanying the film; it was an essential part of the storytelling, bringing the film’s emotions and cultural traditions to life.

Coco Live-to-Film Concert and Recuerdos: A Latin American Arts Market demonstrated how Strathmore’s WINDOWS series can connect artistic performances with opportunities for cultural discovery and community engagement. The combination of the market and concert gave audiences two ways to experience the traditions presented in Coco: through conversations and craftsmanship in the lobby, and through storytelling and music in the auditorium. The WINDOWS series continues this season with programming featuring Afro-Cuban dance, ballet, Ukrainian folk music, chamber music, kora music, jazz, and Sufi-orchestral fusion, offering audiences more opportunities to explore the arts beyond the mainstage.

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