Talking about the dead is usually a topic one tries to avoid but this Friday people will be celebrating them.

The Green Dragon will be hosting Croydon’s first ever Mexican Day of the Dead celebration, with the idea stemming from a young Croydon couple’s travelling experiences.

Alicia Carson, 26, and her boyfriend Louis Hunt, 28, are hoping the event will bring the Croydon community together and will be a positive occasion to be involved with.

Day of the Dead is a very old Mexican tradition, where people remember and honour their deceased family members and friends.

The event is celebrated around the world and the couple are hoping it will present an alternative to the usual Halloween festivities.

An altar will be constructed in the Green Dragon where people will be able to pray and place photos or messages to their loved ones, as well as lighting candles.

People will be encouraged to dress up in Halloween costumes and there will be live music from local bands. Money will be donated to Cruise Bereavement Care.

Alicia Carson said she is looking forward to hosting the event. She said: “It should be a really good night.

“We have got Conchitas Restaurant coming down as the best dressed will win a meal for two at the restaurant.

“It is something we have always wanted to do and it is a tradition we have heard a lot about. It is huge all round the world and we thought we should give it a go.

“We have done a lot of travelling all over the world and we have spoken to a lot of different people who kept telling us about this event.

“Halloween is so big and commercial, Mexican Day of the Dead it takes a different element of it and it is a national holiday in Mexico. It is an occasion to celebrate your loved ones. It is not morbid, it is all about celebration.

The event will take place at the Green Dragon, High Street, Friday 2 November, entry is free but donations are welcome.