Hand-painted Kobe Bryant dress among most stunning looks at Día de los Muertos celebration

Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY

Updated November 2, 2023 at 4:20 AM·2 min read

Melanie Gutierrez of Rialto, also known as "La Catrina Chicana," shows off her hand-painted dress, which includes a depiction of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, at the Día de Los Muertos celebration at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023.

When it comes to celebrating Día de los Muertos, no one in the U.S. does altars, ofrendas or calaveras painting than the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Thousands of people converged over the weekend for the Day of the Dead celebration at the massive graveyard, the final resting place for celebrities like Judy Garland, Anne Heche, Chris Cornell and Johnny Ramone.

Many wore elaborate face paint made to look like skeletons, and many dressed up as "La Catrina," perhaps the most iconic symbol of the holiday that originated in Mexico. Some wiped tears as they left messages and ofrendas, or "offerings," for loved ones at elaborate altars throughout the cemetery.

Día de Los Muertos is both a celebration of life and death, and those who recognize it believe that the barrier between the living world and the spirit world dissolve for one day so the souls of the dead can feast and dance with their loved ones.

The holiday is celebrated throughout Mexico and parts across the U.S. on Nov. 1 and 2 and the days leading up to those dates.

From a woman who spent months hand-painting her dress to include Kobe Bryant to an altar dedicated to all the pets people have lost, here are USA TODAY's best photos of this past weekend's event:

Día de los Muertos: The history of Day of the Dead and how to celebrate this year

'Grief is universal': Día de los Muertos honors all dead loved ones. Yes, even pets.