Someday I’ll look back and say that I was there at the beginning. When my friend Patti and I left San Antonio, Texas, we flew to Santa Fe, New Mexico, for that city’s first official Day of the Dead observances. Santa Fe’s two-day gathering was more modest that San Antonio’s well-established event. But what it lacked in size, it made up for in heart.

We missed the Friday-night kick-off, but were on hand for the full-day of events on Saturday. Early in the day, people gathered in Santa Fe Plaza to prepare ofrendas (as the altars to deceased loved ones are called), listen to strolling mariachis, and have their faces painted as skeletons and Catrinas. As darkness fell, lights twinkled from the trees and the film Coco appeared on two giant screens.

I’m a fan of the animated Hollywood spectacle, but three dancers from Oaxaca, Mexico, were the real heart of the ceremony. Dressed in elaborate feathered headdresses, they led the crowd through the plaza, stopping to bestow blessings on each ofrenda. “You are enacting one of the most ancient traditions of my people,” one of them said. “Our ancestors want to look down and see that we are happy.” Santa Fe made sure of that as a cumbia band from Honduras took the stage and the crowd prepared to dance the night away to the pulsing music.

Putting a little fizz into the spectacle

The next day, Patti and I made our way to the Gruet tasting room in the Hotel St. Francis (210 Don Gaspar Avenue, 505-989-9463, hotelstfrancis.com), which is named for the city’s patron saint. Located just a block off the plaza, the city’s oldest hotel has been updated for the 21st century without sacrificing its timeless sense of calm retreat.

One of its more modern amenities is a tasting room for New Mexico’s own sparkling wine. The Gruet family of champagne makers (gruetwinery.com) expanded their production from France to New Mexico in the early 1980s. They released their first sparkling wines made in New Mexico by the French methode champenoise in 1989. I can get the non-vintage sparkling wines at home in Massachusetts, but the Santa Fe tasting room also has Gruet’s vintage sparklers as well as some very distinguished still wines.

Naturally, Patti and I lifted our glasses to toast the continued success of Santa Fe’s newest community tradition.

For more information, see santafe.org/dia-de-muertos