On Friday, a community celebration of family, memory and connection returns to downtown Carbondale during the Día de los Muertos November First Friday celebration.

Scheduled for Friday, Nov. 7, nearly a week after the Nov. 1 holiday, this year’s event marks the 21st Día de los Muertos event organized by Carbondale Arts — and the last time dancers from the longstanding program Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklórico will join the annual festivities.

The Folklórico program has offered free after-school classes in Mexican folkloric dance to students around the valley since it was founded in 1998.

Instructor Paco Nevarez-Burgueño is retiring after one last performance on Dec.7. His departure marks the end of the community program, which doesn’t have the funding to replace him.

“The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklórico program has been very important to the (Día de los Muertos) celebration because we are the ones who provide the real traditions, like dances and the tradition to celebrate beside the altars,” Nevarez-Burgueño said.

Clothed in traditional Tehuana dress from Oaxaca, Folklórico dancers will perform in the Día de los Muertos procession, which begins at 6 p.m. at the Third Street Center and ends at Fourth and Main Street. They’ll also take the stage for a separate performance after the procession.

20-year old Folklórico performer Cristina Landeros has been in Aspen Santa Fe Ballet’s program for over a decade. The program has taught her more than just dance — it has taught her about her heritage, introduced her to lifelong friends and flown her around the world.

“I still find it very hard to believe and it’s hard to wrap my head around it, knowing that this program has been in the valley for over 20 years, so the fact that it’s coming to an end because we can’t find anyone to replace Paco is very very sad,” Landeros said. “However, I’m hoping another organization decides to pick up the program to keep it going, because seeing a lot of kids this year not be able to join or come back to Folklórico was the hardest thing.”

Juan Lemus, another longtime performer, feels honored to participate in Folklórico’s last Día de los Muertos performance. He’s looking forward to “celebrating and putting a little Day of the Dead spirit out there and giving everyone a show,” he said.

For Nevarez-Burgueño, his retirement is a bittersweet goodbye.

Although he is looking forward to spending more time with his family, he’ll be sad to leave his “beautiful dancers without this program,” he said. “The performing group, we just came from Argentina ,two weeks ago. I took them for my last international trip with them. I was thinking, that’s the sad part of this — what’s going to happen with all those kids? What’s going to happen with the spare time, because it’s an after school program, and they’re doing something they love?

“I put the seeds in them for them to grow up as a dancer,” he added. “But now I’m retiring and I cannot stay.”

Other upcoming First Friday highlights include performances of local groups like Mezcla Socials Dance, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra and Rhythmystics. Visitors can also expect face painting, food trucks, Mexican hot chocolate and creative activities hosted by local businesses.

“It’s a really special event for not just Carbondale Arts, but for the whole community,” Emily Reilly, Carbondale Arts programs manager, said. “It’s a moment to celebrate our local Latino community and highlight Latino creatives during this really culturally important holiday.”

A community ofrenda, or altar, was constructed in front of The Launchpad on Nov. 1 and community members are invited to contribute memorabilia, like photos, arts and beloved trinkets, throughout the week.

“This is the only festivity we have in the valley where everybody gets together, no matter the color of your skin, no matter your culture. It is the only celebration in town where everybody participates and enjoys it,” Nevarez-Burgueño said. “For us as Latinos, (we get) to share our Day of the Dead celebration. I encourage everybody to come and see it and participate and enjoy.”