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When Nicte Ordoñez, an Oakland resident and artist, finished putting the final touches on an altar for the Dia de los Muertos festival Sunday in the Fruitvale District, she had captured her personal vision of a tumultuous year. Ordoñez incorporated traditional Central American themes in her altar as well as current issues on immigration, the economy and even the death of Michael Jackson. One of those issues could have been the ongoing recession that nearly kept the popular Day of the Dead festival from happening this year.

The Unity Council announced in March that the nonprofit was unable to fund their Dia de los Muertos plans because of a tight budget. The blow to the Fruitvale District came shortly after the Cinco de Mayo holiday was called off.

City Councilmember Ignacio de la Fuente, whose district includes Fruitvale, resuscitated the Day of the Dead festival with a cash infusion. The theme of the celebration that honors ancestors and loved ones who have passed away is “Celebrating the Spirit of Community.”

Despite being a scaled-down version of previous years’ scores of altars, the vibrant, eclectic and soulful centerpieces of the celebration will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Oakland Museum, which is not hosting its annual Dias de los Muertos activities during the renovation of its building, will be on hand Sunday to demonstrate altar-making techniques. The altars, music, kids’ activities, sugar

skull vendors, food and drink stalls and other booths and festivities will stretch from International Boulevard between Fruitvale and 35th avenues and down 12th Street to 37th Avenue.

For details about the festival, visit the Unity Council Web site at www.unitycouncil.org or the Oakland Museum’s Dias de los Muertos Web site, diasdelosmuertos.ning.com.