Kent Celebrates the Day of the Dead

We all know how Halloween has leapfrogged Thanksgiving and Flag Day when it comes to American holiday popularity (and it's gunning for Christmas). But its related Mexican celebration — the Day of the Dead — has also captured the fancy of north-of-the-border gringo types too, perhaps because it's a more sophisticated and culturally resonant way of celebrating ghosts and other supernatural spirits. Kent's Standing Rock Cultural Arts was one of the early adopters among non-Mexicans, mounting its first Day of the Dead exhibit and celebration seven years ago. For its eighth-annual Dia de Los Muertos exhibition, Standing Rock has assembled its usual freewheeling hodge-podge of art — painting, collages, photos, large-scale puppets — by a variety of area artists. The show opens at the North Water Street Gallery (257 North Water St. in Kent) with a reception at 8 p.m. tonight featuring food, drinks, and live music. It coincides with downtown Kent's annual Halloween parade, so coming in costume is pretty much a must. Call 330-673-4970 or go to standingrock.net for more information. — Pantsios