The inaugural Before I Die ABQ Festival starts today, Friday, October 20 and runs through Wednesday, October 25, with numerous free and low-cost activities all around Albuquerque designed to prompt thinking about, talking about and doing something about our 100% mortality rate. Field trips, movies, yoga and meditation classes, a cremation urn art show, panel discussions, Death Cafes, a talk by a coroner investigator, and other events are listed in this online schedule of events.
Especially visual highlights this weekend include:
Party - "Prelude to Eternity"
The festival kicks off with a party in Sunset Memorial Park's Pavilion next to their Cremation Garden. Under twinkling lights, guests will enjoy a Mediterranean buffet, music, theatrical readings of the short plays RESTING PLACES and PLOTS, and have Death Over Dinner discussions.
Friday 10/20, 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at 924 Menaul Blvd. NE
Art Show - "Earth, Air, Fire & Water: A Celebration of Cremation and Art"
Artists from Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos show and sell their work in ceramics, wood and other materials. They offer cremation urns, garden sculpture urns for people and pets, and other mortuary art.
Saturday 10/21 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., Sunday 10/22 noon to 4:00 p.m. at 1911 Poplar SW
Historic Fairview Cemetery tour
Established in 1881, the historic section of Fairview Cemetery is the final resting place for many notable Albuquerque residents who made a big impact on New Mexico. Historian Susan Schwartz and family descendants provide colorful stories on this tour. Video preview:
Sunday, 10/22 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 700 Yale Blvd. SE - enter perpetual care area, proceed to the cemetery office and turn left to join the tour at the opening to the historic section.
Here's a Google map with all festival event locations, dates and times:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1t35-_J0T9cnYBXQyKTeYJMNB4zg&hl=en&usp=sharing
Festival coordinator and pioneering death educator Gail Rubin, CT, is available for interview during the Before I Die ABQ Festival. Her cell phone number is 505-363-7514.
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Gail Rubin, CT, is author and host of the award-winning book and television series, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die, Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips, and KICKING THE BUCKET LIST: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die.
Rubin is a Certified Thanatologist (that's a death educator) and a popular speaker who uses humor and films to get the end-of-life and funeral planning conversation started. She "knocked 'em dead" with her TEDx talk, A Good Goodbye. She provides continuing education credit classes for attorneys, doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, financial planners, funeral directors and other professionals. She's a Certified Funeral Celebrant and funeral planning consultant who has been interviewed in national and local print, broadcast and online media.
Known as The Doyenne of Death®, she is the event coordinator for the inaugural Before I Die ABQ Festival. She also hosts A Good Goodbye Internet radio show and produces Mortality Minute radio and online video spots. Her YouTube Channel features more than 400 videos!
Rubin is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, Toastmasters International and the National Speakers Association New Mexico Chapter. Her speaking profile is available at eSpeakers.com.
Gail Rubin has been interviewed about funeral planning issues in national and local broadcast, print and online media. Outlets include The Huffington Post, Money Magazine, Kiplinger, CBS Radio News, WGN-TV, and local affiliates for NPR, PBS, FOX, ABC-TV, CBS-TV and NBC-TV.
Sign up for a free planning form and occasional informative newsletter at her website, AGoodGoodbye.com.