The Día de los Muertos celebration in the Fruitvale Village drew people from across the East Bay on Sunday. Azteca dance, Mariachi and Andean music filled the air as thousands of people observed a myriad of altars, which represented everyone from Oakland homicides in 2011, to grandparents.

Newark city council member, Maria Collazo, owns The Mexico Tortilla Factory in Newark and attended to event to remember her father. She wore a black hat with lace and her face was painted with flowers. “When we lost my father 3 years ago, Día de los Muertos became more important,” she said.

Día de Los Muertos (meaning Day of the Dead in English) is one of the most highly anticipated events in the Fruitvale. The event originated in Mexico, where it is a national holiday, and traditionally takes place on November 1. It is a day where families and relatives gather to remember deceased friends and relatives with the goal of keeping their spirits alive.