"MEXICO WEEK: DÍA DE MUERTOS AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER" PRESENTED BY TEQUILA CASA DRAGONES, INTERPROTECCION AND THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO IN NEW YORK CITY

Mexico Week, Día de Muertos returns with a colorful contemporary altar, "Los Dos Soles" by Mestiz Studio, designed as a symbolic portal to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, Tequila Casa Dragones and Rockefeller Center are proud to present "Mexico Week: Día De Muertos at Rockefeller Center" alongside The Consulate General of Mexico in New York City. Taking place from October 27 through November 2, the annual event celebrates Mexico's heritage and contemporary culture–this year highlighting a modern Mexican artist, Daniel Valero of Mestiz design studio based in San Miguel de Allende. New Yorkers can engage with Mexican art, music, and Día De Muertos traditions right in the heart of New York City.

On Friday, October 27, Rockefeller Center will unveil the ofrenda - an altar that honors the lives of lost loved ones - with a ceremony on Center Plaza at 30 Rockefeller Plaza featuring the Maestra Tequilera Bertha González Nieves, CEO and Co-Founder of Tequila Casa Dragones, Consul General of Mexico Jorge Islas, and artist Daniel Valero of Mestiz.

"Mexico Week at Rockefeller Center" will honor Mexican tradition and heritage through the modern work of Daniel Valero. Committed to Mexican authenticity, craftsmanship and quality, Casa Dragones commissions an award-winning Mexican architect and designer, Daniel Valero of Mestiz design studio, to create this year's ofrenda, "Los Dos Soles."  Mestiz, known for its signature use of colorful, vibrant objects and textiles inspired by natural surroundings, adorns the ofrenda in rays of sun to emulate agave leaves; an ode to Micltan, the land of eternal rest. The ofrenda exists as a symbolic portal to San Miguel de Allende, where Mestiz will showcase a similar ofrenda simultaneously at La Casa Dragones, the recently renovated and restored private home of the tequila brand.

The celebrations will be held from Friday, October 27 at 11:00 AM through Thursday, November 2 at 5pm. All events will be free and accessible to the public. New Yorkers and visitors are encouraged to actively participate by taking photos on the handwoven reptilian benches on the front of the ofrenda and pinning photos or letters to the back of the ofrenda in remembrance of cherished memories of their loved ones. This concept draws inspiration from the significance of the sun as the creator of life and the holiday's celebration of life itself, embodying a deeply rooted Mexican cultural tradition.

"We're proud to be presenting this extraordinary altar at Center Plaza celebrating the very best of modern Mexico and reinforcing our commitment to contemporary art and design" says Casa Dragones CEO and Co-Founder Bertha González Nieves. "We are thrilled to invite viewers to interact with this symbolic portal that connects Rockefeller Center in New York City to our home in San Miguel de Allende, where they can celebrate life and embrace the spirit of Día de Muertos."

Daniel Valero, Mexican architect and designer of Mestiz shares, "Los Dos Soles asks guests to embrace the duality of life and death, acknowledging them as integral facets of our collective human journey." He adds, "This year's ofrenda transcends the boundaries of space and time, allowing guests to take in the shared elements and colors that unite altars located in two distant locations, fostering a rich and cross-cultural perspective."

To further celebrate contemporary Mexican creators, the festivities will include performances by Mexican dancer and choreographer Diego Vega Solorza, by invitation from TONO, where Diego will create a new choreographic intervention responding to the site at Rockefeller Center. This duet will be site-specific and involve elements of improvisation so the dancers can explore new movements.

Additional information of the event lineup is outlined below.

Event Programming

• Friday, October 27: Ofrenda open to the public (all day)
  • 11am: Ofrenda unveiling ceremony & opening remarks @ Center Plaza at 30 Rock
  • 11am-1pm: Traditional Day of the Dead Catrina face painting
  • 12pm-1pm: Performances by TONO and Mariachi bands
  • 12pm-5pm: Timed altar participation, including photo-taking opportunities and tributes.
  • 12pm-5pm: Casa Dragones samplings with special offers for purchase at Morrells's Wine & Spirits
• Saturday, October 28: Ofrenda open to the public (all day)
  • 12pm - 3pm: Traditional Day of the Dead Catrina face painting
  • 12pm - 5pm: Timed altar participation, including photo-taking opportunities and tributes.
  • 1pm: 15-30 min Mariachi performance
  • 1:30pm: TONO performance by Mexican dancer and choreographer Diego Vega Solorza
  • 12pm-5pm: Casa Dragones samplings with special offers for purchase at Morrells's Wine & Spirits
• Sunday, October 29: Ofrenda open to the public (all day)
  • 12pm - 3pm: Traditional Day of the Dead Catrina face painting
  • 12pm - 5pm: Timed altar participation, including photo-taking opportunities and tributes.
  • 1pm: 15-30 min Mariachi performance
  • 1:30pm: TONO performance by Mexican dancer and choreographer Diego Vega Solorza
• Monday, October 30 - Thursday, November 2nd: Ofrenda open to the public (all day)
  • 12pm-2pm: Casa Dragones samplings with special offers for purchase at Morrells's Wine & Spirits
  • 12pm-3pm: Timed altar participation, including photo-taking opportunities and tributes.

Rockefeller Center was originally built nearly a century ago on the idea of making New York the prototype of a global city. As part of this, the Center initially launched Mexico Week in 1964, and continued it through the mid-1970s. In 2021, Rockefeller Center revived the celebration, continuing its commitment to sharing art and ideas where community, creativity and culture collide.

Día de Muertos' origin is the harmony between the celebration of Catholic religious rituals brought by the Spanish, and the commemoration of the day of the dead that the indigenous people have observed since pre-Hispanic times. Celebrated by the ancient Mexicas, Mixtecs, Texcocans, Zapotecs, Tlaxcalans, Totonacs and other native peoples, it was believed that upon dying, the souls traveled to Chicunamictlán, the Land of the Dead. Only after getting through nine challenging levels could the person's soul finally reach Mictlán, the final resting place. The Day of the Dead, in the indigenous vision, implies the transitory return of the souls of the deceased. Those who return home to the world of the living, will be nourished by the essence of the food that is offered to them by their relatives on the altars displayed in their honor. According to tradition, the border between the spirit world and the real-world dissolves at midnight and the spirits of children and adults can rejoin their families from November 1 to November 2.

For more information, please visit https://www.rockefellercenter.com/ and follow Rockefeller Center on Twitter @rockcenternyc, Instagram @rockefellercenter and @topoftherocknyc, and Facebook @rockefellercenternyc.

ABOUT TISHMAN SPEYER
Tishman Speyer is a leading owner, developer, operator and investment manager of first-class real estate in 36 key markets across the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Our portfolio spans market rate and affordable residential communities, premier office properties and retail spaces, industrial facilities, and mixed-use campuses. We create state-of-the-art life science centers through our Breakthrough Properties joint venture, and foster innovation through our strategic proptech investments. With global vision, on-the-ground expertise and a personalized approach, we are unparalleled in our ability to foster innovation, quickly adapt to global and local trends and proactively anticipate our customers' evolving needs.  By focusing on health and wellness, enlightened placemaking and customer-focused initiatives such as our tenant amenities platform, ZO, and our flexible space and co-working brand, Studio, we tend not just to our physical buildings, but to the people who inhabit them on a daily basis. Since our inception in 1978, Tishman Speyer has acquired, developed, and operated 533 properties, totaling 223 million square feet, with a combined value of over $129 billion (U.S.). Our current portfolio includes such iconic assets as Rockefeller Center in New York City, The Springs in Shanghai, TaunusTurm in Frankfurt and the Mission Rock neighborhood currently being realized in San Francisco.

ABOUT CASA DRAGONES 
Founded and led by CEO Bertha González Nieves, the first female Maestra Tequilera, Tequila Casa Dragones is a small batch producer known for its ultra-premium sipping tequilas. Launched in 2009 in Mexico, Casa Dragones has four uniquely smooth tequila expressions. Casa Dragones Joven has a complex, smooth taste that is perfect for sipping and pairing with food, while Casa Dragones Blanco's crisp, agave-forward taste is perfect for craft cocktails and on the rocks. Casa Dragones Añejo Barrel Blend is the result of aging their tequila in two styles of new wood casks, then blending to achieve its distinctive, rich character. Their most recent expression, Casa Dragones Reposado Mizunara, 100% Blue Agave Reposado sipping tequila, is the first tequila rested exclusively in Mizunara, a rare oak native to Japan and traditionally used for aging Japanese whiskies. Casa Dragones' mission is to be part of the tequila producers shaping the industry for the future through innovation, modern, sustainable production and Mexican craftsmanship. The name Casa Dragones is inspired by the legendary Dragones cavalry who ignited Mexico's Independence Movement of 1810.  La Casa Dragones in San Miguel de Allende is the historic 17^th century stables of the cavalry, now transformed into a luxurious four-bedroom showcase of Mexican design. San Miguel de Allende, Casa Dragones' spiritual home, is also home to Casa Dragones Tasting Room, or the "World's Smallest Tequila Bar." Casa Dragones is available online at www.casadragones.com and throughout the U.S., Mexico and select markets in Europe. Follow Casa Dragones on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@casadragones).

ABOUT LA CASA DRAGONES
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico – A former 17th century stable for the Dragones cavalry, among the heroes of the Mexican Independence, La Casa Dragones reopens after a year-long restoration and redesign project, offering rare and immersive experiences in a setting of mid-century Bajío and contemporary Mexican design.

A UNESCO World Heritage city and the 'spiritual home' of Casa Dragones, San Miguel de Allende is renowned for its charm, history, and culture. One of Mexico's most beautiful cities that has been twice voted Travel + Leisure's 'Best City in the World' as well as Condé Nast Traveler's 'Best Small City in the World' for six consecutive years, it is the cradle of Mexican Independence, and since the early 20^th century, an epicenter and home to artists, writers, and creatives from around the world– making it one of the most coveted travel destinations.

Casa Dragones Co-Founder and CEO Bertha González Nieves explains "Mexico is a country with boundless creativity and a tradition of superb craftsmanship. We see ourselves as ambassadors, sharing this remarkable world of artistry and innovation.  Our tequila is made in small batches, with meticulous attention to detail, from the harvest to the production, so we believe in the art of the craft. We are thrilled to be part of a movement bringing sophisticated Mexican design, craft, and culture to the world. We saw La Casa Dragones as a perfect setting to showcase the best of Mexican design, culture, and experiences, against a historic backdrop. It is the perfect union of innovation and tradition --the embodiment of modern Mexico."

About INTERprotecciónINTERprotección is comprised of a group of Mexican companies that are experts in insurance, reinsurance and surety brokerage. With over 40 years' experience, INTERprotección is recognized worldwide as a leader in comprehensive risk management and consulting in the Mexican market. Its business model is focused on ensuring outstanding solutions for the needs of each of their customers, offering best-in-class service and generating long-term relationships through innovative and groundbreaking products, most recently with its new brand, inter.mx, its digital insurance platform that is transforming the insurance tech game.

About the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York (https://www.mciny.org)
Established in 1991, The Mexican Cultural Institute is the cultural department of the Consulate General of Mexico in New York and, an American non-profit organization simultaneously. It's mission is to generate, strengthen and promote a creative, updated, plural, and dynamic image of Mexican art and culture to foster a better understanding and appreciation of their country and identity.

ABOUT MESTIZ
Daniel Valero is a Mexican artist and designer with studies in Mexico, Finland and France. Daniel founded his design practice Mestiz in 2015 with the aim to create distinctive pieces with a strong regional identity. His work is an examination of the symbiotic collaboration between designer and craftsman— intentionally blurring the line between both disciplines. He has been recognized with the National Furniture Award in 2014 in Mexico by Dimueble, the National Scholarship for Apply Arts in 2016 and by the British Council program Housewarming Artist Residency in 2020. The Mestiz design statement reads "We create wild objects & textiles, inspired by the natural surroundings & cultural syncretism of Mexico's artisanal techniques. Mestiz | @mestixmx

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SOURCE Tequila Casa Dragones