Mankato Free Press (October 15, 2025) — For prominent Mankato artist and community organizer Justin Ek, the lesson learned may be a simple one: Just ask.
And then ask again.
Late last summer, he and the festival’s committee were at a crossroads when it came to continuing a successful Dia de los Muertos — Day of the Dead Mexican festival on North Riverfront Drive after a hoped-for grant fell through. They were looking at a $25,000 deficit — and had a long way to go.
So festival co-founder Ek took to social media to get the word out about his beloved annual event. His goal? To raise an additional $25,000, for a total of $50,000, to host the event this fall.
He asked. And the community answered.
“I’ve gotten so much feedback from folks about how important it is,” Ek said of Day of the Dead. “They said ‘Please don’t stop.’ So we got reaffirmed that we are doing important work and that what we’re doing is needed.”
After achieving its $50,000 fundraising mark, Day of the Dead took off.
The festival has ballooned and will run an extra hour this year. It’s 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 25. The goal is to honor those who have died.
The event completely transforms the Old Town neighborhood into a street fair to honor and preserve cultural traditions while promoting unity and understanding among people of all backgrounds. It’s done through vendors, organizations and activities in an event that’s free and open to the public.
There will be more of everything this year, Ek said, including food trucks, a second stage added for entertainment and numerous altars to honor deceased loved ones.
Day of the Dread brought in a whopping 15,000 people last year and Ek predicts the same turnout this year.
Denny and Carole Dotson were two of many community members to raise their hands when they heard the Day of the Dead festival was at a financial pause.
“I went down and talked to Justin right away,” Denny Dotson said. “I encouraged him to stick with it. I wanted to make sure it continued.”
The couple donated to the cause, having been loyal attendees at the event to date.
Dotson describes the sixth annual Day of the Dead as one of the “great, fun events that takes place in Mankato. The streets are filled with happy families. You can’t help but see thousands of smiling faces.”
When Dotson attends Day of the Dead, he does so in memory of his mother. He said she was always the one looking over his family.
“We also channel her to make sure our weather is good,” he said. “I’m sure it’ll be a beautiful day on the Day of the Dead.”
Mankato Area Foundation is the presenting sponsor for Day of the Dead. Amy Lennartson, the foundation’s community impact director, said her team was aware of Ek’s fundraising struggles during the summer.
“Our support from the foundation is incredibly important to keep this event free and open to all,” she said. “We are absolutely thrilled our community came together to support this event. It’s culture, it’s memory, it’s community.
“It is something that honors the past and brings everybody together in the present. That is incredibly important, now more than ever. I think anything we can do in our community to honor heritage and to build bridges and continue to amplify good is just so important.”
Ek concurs, adding that Day of the Dead also brings commerce to Mankato.
“It’s a lot of fun to put on and to help people understand another culture,” he said. “It makes people happier to experience different things in our community.”
New this year will be a processional parade to an altar where attendees can lay personal items representing their lost loved ones, which Ek said, “is a way for people to share their grief together but in a joyous celebration, not sad.”