Latino Halloween Characters Becoming More Popular

Los Angeles - Halloween is slowly taking on a Latino flavor, with US costume stores beginning to capitalize on the burgeoning Hispanic population by incorporating Latino characters into their retail lineup.

"There seems to be a huge push to appeal to the Latino market," said Elexia Orlic, owner of the Casa Artelexia store in San Diego, a boutique with a large selection of Dia De Los Muertos gifts and art. "It's all an effort to capitalize on a growing opportunity and relate to potential Latino customers."

One favorite Latino mythical figure popping up this Halloween is La Llorona. Various legends based on the character are known throughout Mexico, Puerto Rico and Central America.

The most popular version describes a woman named Maria, who is the mother of two sons. She falls in love with a rich man and when he the spurns her, she drowns her children. Realizing what she has done, she is doomed for life to wander aimlessly in search of them.

Latin American parents have used the story to scare their children into good behavior - threatening them that they will be taken by La Llorona if they do not behave.

For the first time this year, the website SkeletonsAndMore.com introduced a La Llorona mask, which has already sold out. At Halloween-Mask.com, an entire La Llorona costume is being sold for $99.99.

Seeing the financial potential and the demand of a large demographic, theme parks in Southern California have begun to incorporate historic Latino characters like La Llorona, the Chupacabra and dancing Day of the Dead skeletons into their traditional Halloween festivities.

Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif., features a Day of the Dead-style maze, complete with a goat-sucking Chupacabra and a weeping La Llorona.

en recruited Mexican actor and "Y Tu Mama Tambien" star Diego Luna as a creative consultant to design the new mazSix Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia also added a Chupacabra to one of its eight mazes.

Universal Studios Hollywood features a "La Llorona: Villa De Almas Perdidas" in its popular Halloween Horror Nights. The park eve.

Source: FOX News Latino