Cheers and loud clapping echoed under the tent sent up to protect attendees from the rain at Centro Cultural's Día de los Muertos event on Saturday evening. Even in the cold and wet weather, community members were eager to see who would win the Catrina contest.

Originating from an early 1900s print made by Mexican printmaker and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada, La Catrina, a skeleton-faced woman, has become a symbol of the holiday.

Participants modeled their interpretive spins on the iconic figure with handmade dresses fashioned out of corn husks, vibrant floral patterns and skeletal shimmering face paint. Each elaborate outfit was carefully created over months with hair and face paint taking some participants many hours to apply.

The Día de los Muertos event has been a staple for around a decade at Centro Cultural's campus in Cornelius. Throughout the building and surrounding parking lot, visitors watched folklórico (traditional Mexican) dance, participated in arts and crafts, enjoyed tamales and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) or had their face painted in colorful skull imagery.

Founded 50 years ago, the organization has been a vital resource for the Latino community in Washington County, offering a wide range of services -- from education and advocacy to cultural celebrations and a free food pantry.

"Here in Oregon, we see it as a part of our mission to celebrate culture and tradition and to advance Latino identity and culture for people that are close to Centro and people that live in Washington County and Greater Portland," said Juan Carlos Gonzales, chief strategy officer at Centro Cultural. "We want to make sure we have an opportunity for people to connect."

The connection to culture was an integral factor that brought people out for the event.

Angelita Huapeo, who won the adult Catrina contest, said in Spanish that it's important to celebrate memories. While she can't visit Mexico during this time, she can feel close to those who have passed at events like Centro's.

It's important to have these types of events to keep our culture alive, she told the audience in Spanish while on stage, because a town without culture is a dead town.

The audience cheered and clapped louder after Huapeo's statement. The sentiment resonated with many attendees at the event.

"I think it's important that the younger generations get to see traditions," said Mindy Rodriguez, a vendor at the event. "A lot of the younger kids are kind of steering away from it. So it's kind of nice for people to kind of come together ... they need to teach the younger kids how to keep it alive."

Día de los Muertos hasn't always been a symbol of Latinidad in the U.S. The Mexican holiday is a regional event, with different traditions celebrated in particular states.

"It is kind of this cultural norm that Centro is aiming to adapt to this Mexican American, Latino American context within Oregon," Gonzalez said about the holiday. "[We're] using it as a tool for identity and for placemaking and for redefining what that might mean for communities here."

The annual event is also a favorite among children. Amelia Islas, a five-year-old from Hillsboro, was joyfully spinning and screaming during the children's Catrina competition, rallying the audience's loudest cheers, which won her the contest and prize money.

Her dress was handmade by her mother, Christina Islas, who has cultivated a deep appreciation for culture in her daughter's life. With Mexican, Vietnamese and Irish heritage, Amelia has many opportunities to engage with different traditions, yet Día de los Muertos holds a special place in her heart.

"Obviously her favorite part is the Catrinas," Christina Islas said. "She itches and waits for it all year long. And we love watching her be so excited and really embracing something that's so important... it's really great to see it already becoming part of her identity."

Originally from Los Angeles, the family was accustomed to the vibrant Latino heritage that is a part of Southern California's culture. Moving to Oregon, they worried it might be harder to find events celebrating Latino traditions.

"It's a really beautiful holiday, and we really appreciated finding a community that holds it and celebrates it," Christina Islas said. "It's not a caricature, but a real celebration of it."

-- Chiara Profenna covers religion, faith and cultural connections. Reach her at 503-221-4327; [email protected] or @chiara_profenna