San Rafael residents can sign up for free weekly workshops to build giant traditional kites for the city's Día de Muertos celebration in November.

The eight-week series runs every Friday from September through October at the Albert J. Boro Community Center, 50 Canal St., from 6 to 9 p.m., according to the City of San Rafael. Participants will work alongside local artists to design and construct barriletes gigantes, the giant handmade kites rooted in Guatemalan tradition.

No art experience is required.

The barriletes gigantes tradition originated in the towns of Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, Guatemala, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Kite builders there spend months constructing elaborate designs meant to communicate with ancestors during Day of the Dead observances. UNESCO inscribed the practice on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024.

The finished kites will be displayed at San Rafael's Día de Muertos celebration on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Boro Community Center. The free event runs from 3 to 9 p.m. and will feature art, culture, music and celebration, the city said. The Canal neighborhood's multicultural community has hosted the annual celebration for decades, welcoming residents and visitors alike.

Three organizations are behind the workshop series: the Marin Cultural Association, the Multicultural Center of Marin and the City of San Rafael. The Multicultural Center of Marin, formerly known as the Canal Welcome Center, serves immigrant communities across the county.

To sign up, email [email protected] or call (415) 526-2486.