Due to COVID-19 TODEC’s annual events Festival Monarca & Día De Muertos have been postponed to keep community safe.

Our events are back in 2023!

TODEC’s Annual Festival Monarca y Feria Educativa began as a small community celebration in 1984, since then our celebration has grown and now congregates thousands of community members every year. Our educational, art, and music festival engages our community members on key issues while cultivating our traditions and culture. Where we celebrate TODEC’s Annual Anniversary the last weekend of every September in the City of Perris.

Our celebration also commemorates “El Dia Oficial del Charro Mexicano y Mujer a Caballo La Escaramusa” within our county (Day of the Mexican Cowboy and All-Female Equestrian). Charros and Escaramusas participate in our community event annually.  In 2009 TODEC’s founder Luz Maria Ayala was able to secure a proclamation from Riverside County Board of Supervisors commemorating this day, “El Dia Oficial del Charro Mexicano y Mujer a Caballo La Escaramusa” within our annual celebration .

TODEC’s Annual Día de Los Muertos in the City of Perris began in 2016. This annual event is free and open to the public, bringing together traditional art and culture with live music and entertainment to celebrate the Day of the Dead. Festivities include live music, original artwork, a dance, drum and live poetry, and open altar exhibitions in Perris, Ca.

On the Day of the Dead, it is believed that the border between the spirit world and the real world dissolve. During this brief period, the souls of the dead awaken and return to the living world to feast, drink, dance, and play music with their loved ones. In turn, the living family members treat the deceased as honored guests in their celebrations, and leave the deceased’s favorite foods and other offerings known as “Ofrendas” at the gravesites or on the “Altares” built in their homes.

We believe culture matters – especially in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. TODEC uses art, stories, and other cultural and communications strategies to shift public will toward embracing the rich diversity of the Inland Region and more equitable and just outcomes for all. We work with artists and a community of creatives to engage communities and help elevate the voices of underrepresented Latinos.