all souls procession

Tucson's annual All Souls Procession is a far cry from Fairborn's annual July Fourth parade. I did not see a single clarinet. Oh, and also, it was led by the Angel of Death, face painted white with hollow black eyes, dripping red roses and white feathers. Instead of candy and pencils, they passed out glow-in-the-dark skull rings and political flyers. Throbbing drums and clanging bells and wailing bagpipes; masses of people dressed as the dead, draped in flowers and beads, in masks and white paint, in old lace and velvet and feathers, in top hats and body glitter and spandex; bellydancers and corpse brides, drummers and children in decorated carriages; paper mache puppets and floats in the shapes of spiders and skeletons; stiltwalkers wearing enormous costumes of Buddha and pirates and ogres; people bearing signs and carrying candles for the deceased - relatives, friends, heroes, soldiers, monks, beloved pets. Next year we're dressing up and joining the parade. Click here for pictures.