Volunteers in Mankato prepare for Old Town Day of the Dead, where more than 15,000 people are expected to celebrate. They hang colorful paper flags and line the streets with large vibrant traditional Mexican folk art. There’s mariachi music, Mexican wrestling, vendors selling cempasúchil–marigolds–and community altars where people can bring ofrendas to honor their deceased loved ones.

Luis Alberto Orozco, 27, of Mankato, serves as this year’s emcee. He loves everything about El Día de los Muertos, having celebrated the holiday since he was a kid from Michoacán, Mexico.

“I love thinking about when I’m in this event, is how I felt as a kid in Mexico during this season,” Orozco said. “When the skies would get clear, and we were able to see all the stars in the sky, and that was sort of a si

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