San Antonio’s Dia de los Muertos festival gets a touch of Hollywood

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) –  Actress Eva Longoria will be the grand marshal of the Catrinas on the River Parade  at 7 tonight to kick off a three-day festival at La Villita.

“I’m really excited because the Eva’s Heroes organization is going to have a float in the Day of the Dead parade, so I hope to see you all there,” Longoria said in a post on Instagram this week.

She’s best known for her role in ABC’s former TV series “Desperate Housewives,” but she’s also a producer and director. Her non-profit organization Eva’s Heroes helps special needs individuals.

Longoria is the star of San Antonio’s first Day of the Dead river parade featuring well-dressed skeletons and giant, colorful sugar skulls. One of the floats has a Loteria theme and another has large Monarch butterflies fluttering their wings.

“We invite all of San Antonio to come to the river parade and see something that’s magical and amazing,” said Chef Johnny Hernandez, one of the Day of the Dead San Antonio organizers.

The festival, which is co-sponsored by  Rey Feo Consejo Educational Foundation, continues through Sunday with  three stages of entertainment, dancers and giant puppets at the Arneson River Theatre and La Villita.

“Our theme is “Celebrate to Remember” because it’s a time when you celebrate the life of those who have moved on,” said Hernandez.