EL PRESIDENTE MESSAGE BY STEVE WEEKES
Over 200 volunteers and many valued sponsors work throughout the year to bring this outstanding event to the City of San Juan Capistrano and its numerous visitors. Our parade season actually includes several special events such as the New Member Mixer, Kids Pet Parade, Taste of San Juan, El Presidente Ball, Fiesta Grande and Hoos’Gow Day all leading up to the grand finale – The 54th Swallows Day Parade and Mercado Street Faire on Saturday, March 24th. Touted as the largest non-motorized parade in the country, the Swallows Day Parade is also the largest equine judging event in California. Expect to see about 500 horses in equestrian entries, carriages, wagons, community groups, bands, military entries with over 3000 individuals. Bring the whole family and enjoy an entire day of pure enjoyment complete with a wide assortment of food and drinks in our Mercado Street Fair throughout the day. Our 2012 theme is “How the West was Fun” so come and see what we mean!
2012 FIESTA ASSOCIATION
FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Cindy Cardin Sponsorship Stephanie Frisch Membership/Taste of San Juan Joni Clay El Presidente Ball Mia Nonnweiler New Member Mixer/Secretary
BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Ben Dixon Parade Chairman Chris Phillips Hangin’ Judge/Kids Pet Parade/Fiesta Grande Ron Hascall VIP Porch/ El Presidente Ball/Merchandise Steve Weekes El Presidente
Gregg Kendrick Sheriff /Shuttle Bus Jeff Schroeder Publicity/Treasurer NOT PICTURED: Kathy Hooper Mercado Street Faire Jeff Martin Assistant Parade Chair
CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
MAYOR WELCOME
I don’t think there is much that represents the flavor of San Juan Capistrano and its history, heritage and culture more than the “Fiesta de las Golondrinas.” Known as the Festival of the Swallows, this wonderful celebration brings people from around the globe for one of the largest non-motorized parades in the country, the Swallows Day Parade. This vibrant parade, which has been an institution in our town for more than five decades, caps off a month of activities put on by the all-volunteer San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association. I tip my hat to these dedicated individuals who give of their time and talents year-round to organize this unique parade that is embraced by people of all ages. Each year, I certainly look forward to all the culture and fun this day brings and know that this year’s parade and accompanying activities - Mercado Street Fair and more - will be the best yet and will create lasting memories for all. So, I hope you will join me in saluting our town and celebrating the Fiesta de las Golondrinas. I will see you along the parade route! Larry Kramer, Mayor
2012
GRAND MARSHALS BILL
JOAN CVENGROS
San Juan Capistrano residents and community leaders Bill and Joan Cvengros are the grand marshals for the 2012 Swallows Day Parade. Bill and Joan Cvengros have lived in San Juan Capistrano for 19 years, but fell in love with the city and started coming to the Swallows Day Parade long before that time. They are strongly linked with the San Juan community and support the Mission Preservation Board, Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley and the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center. Family and friends will join the Cvengros family as they ride proudly in the 54th Swallows Day Parade in downtown San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, March 24.
PAST GRAND MARSHALS YEAR
GRAND MARSHALS
YEAR
GRAND MARSHALS
YEAR
GRAND MARSHALS
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
Barbara Stanwyck & Audie Murphy Scotty Clayton John Rovick (Sheriff John) Buddy Ebsen (Actor) Claude Akins (Actor) Monty Montana (Actor) James Drury (The Virginian) Gary Vinson Richard Arlen (Actor) George Putnam
1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Jock Mahoney (Actor) Iron Eyes Cody (Actor) Richard O’Neill & Alice Avery Leon Rene Pat O’Malley (Actor) C. Fulton Shaw Tony Moiso Brian Goodell (Olympic Gold Medalist) Monsig. Paul Martin Carl Bucheim (San Juan’s 1st Mayor) Dan Haggerty (Grizzly Adams) Todd Hart Rusty Richards (Actor & Horse Trainer) Peter Sherayko (Actor) Shelley Taylor Morgan (Actress) Larry Bucheim Tony Forster Teeter Marie Oliveras Romero Gilbert G. Aguirre
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
George Avila Bill & Pat Bathgate John & Marie Lacouague Elarion M. “Larry” Hernandez Joan Irvine Smith Melvin M. Rosenbaum Bill Webb, Julian Ramos, Pat Forster, Tom Hribar, William Zintl Monsignor Paul Martin Paul & Betty Valenzuela Shigeru ‘Shig’ & Miyeko Kinoshita Gary & Collene Campbell Millie & Gil Jones Kay Shaw Melitas Forster Wyatt Hart Arturo and Maria Galindo Bill and Joan Cvengros
*Special Guest: President Richard M. Nixon
1970 Buck Taylor (Actor) 1971 Roberta Lynn (Champagne Lady) 1972 Bill Skiles, Pete Henderson, Jimmy Rogers 1973 Andy Devine (Actor) 1974 Jeanette Nolan (Dirty Sally) 1975 Brad Gates (O.C. Sheriff) 1976 Monty Montana (Actor)
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
AN U J N A S SEÑOR E L H C S I F ” H S I F “ JOHN MS. FIESTA
NANC Y INGHAM
Señor San Juan John Fischle and Ms. Fiesta Nancy Ingham are very active parade dignitaries, attending numerous community events and functions throughout the Fiesta de las Golondrinas season. Nancy has lived in Capistrano
Beach since 1984 and has attended or participated in every Swallows Day Parade since 1990. Fish is a California native from La Habra and his ties with San Juan Capistrano and the Fiesta Association go back many years.
CALLING ALL FORMER DIGNITARIES! All past senior dignitaries are invited to ride in a wagon or walk alongside Fish and Nancy’s carriage in this year’s Swallows Day Parade. For more information or to participate in the entry, e-mail Chris Jones at chrisjns@aol.com.
The 2012 Fiesta de las Golondrinas junior dignitaries were selected this year by the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley and include Cristian Marron as Jr. Señor San Juan and Hilda De La Cruz as Jr. Miss Fiesta. Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley’s executive director James Littlejohn said Cristian and Hilda are longtime members of the Club, outstanding students, participants in AVID and community leaders. They are eighth graders at Marco Forster Middle School in San Juan and have both lived in San Juan Capistrano for most of their lives. They have wonderful support from their families and also happen to be good friends!
SHUTTLE PARKING ENDEVCO
FLUIDMASTER
RANCHO VIEJO RD.
LA MATANZA
HTC PARK: Lost & Found
DE
Fiesta Assocation Command Post
Equestrian & Band Awards Staging Area
Playhouse
10 Portable Toilets
EL CAMINO REAL
MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
PARADE START
Mission Grill
Swallows Inn
VIP PORCH
FORSTER ST.
TENNIS COURTS
MERCADO YORBA ST.
Green Dots = Portable Toilets
OC Sheriff Command Post
Marie Callender’s, 3171 Del Obispo St.
PO BIS LO
EL HORNO ST.
LA ZANJA
SOCCER FIELD
SPRING ST.
Woman’s Club/ Rotary Pancake Breakfast
ACJACHEMA ST.
SHUTTLE DROP-OFF, PICK UP
Library
PARADE END
I-5 FWY
LA CALERA ST.
DON JUAN AVE.
E D A PARUTE RO T N E V E MAP
30200 Rancho Viejo Rd.
ORTEGA HWY.
30700 Rancho Viejo Rd. 30800 Rancho Viejo Rd.
PLAZA CAPISTRANO BUSINESS PARK
CAMINO CAPISTRANO
El Adobe 11 Portable Toilets
SHUTTLE PICK-UP Sports Park (Camino Del Avion)
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS EL PRESIDENTE BALL
FIESTA GRANDE
6:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. El Adobe Restaurant, 31891 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. A formal evening with dinner, dancing and silent and live auctions that honors the Fiesta Association’s current president.
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Swallow’s Inn, 31786 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano. Fiesta Grande is a lively evening tied to old west traditions with cash prizes awarded to Best Dressed Old West Man, Best Dressed Old West Woman, Best Belt Buckle, Best Mustache, Best Dance Hall Girl and the judging of the Hairiest Man Contest (Men who were clean shaven as of January 14).
SATURDAY, MARCH 17
HOOS’GOW DAY Friday, March 23
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Held throughout downtown San Juan Capistrano, this event is a long standing San Juan tradition where Fiesta Association sheriff and deputies – dressed in their traditional black and white western wear - search the city and arrest anyone not dressed in western attire or any man who is clean shaven. There are roaming jails in the city and the “jail birds” must pay a fee to be released.
Wednesday, March 21
54TH SWALLOWS DAY PARADE & MERCADO Saturday, March 24
11 a.m. marks the start of the parade in downtown San Juan Capistrano. The Mercado Street Fair takes place at the historic Town Center Park off of El Camino Real and Ortega Highway from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Rain or shine!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO FIESTA ASSOCIATION OR FIESTA DE LAS GOLONDRINAS EVENTS, CALL 949.493.1976 OR VISIT WWW.SWALLOWSPARADE.ORG.
Whether it’s dropping a noose around the Mayor’s neck to “ezncourage” the City Council’s support of the Fiesta Association or keeping the rope handing while rounding up “volunteer” donors on Hoos’ Gow Day, the Hangin’ Judge plays a key role in the Association’s public relations efforts.
A major Parade Day tradition and key fundraiser in the background is the Mercado Street Faire. The Mercado is a real street fair which started out on Ortega Highway from Camino Capistrano to El Camino Real for a total of one block. It now takes place along El Camino Real from Ortega to Camino Capistrano as well as on the streets in between. This year, the Mercado will feature about 175 street vendors selling food, drinks, jewelry, western items and a variety of arts and crafts items. The Mercado is free to attend and runs from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (the Swallows Day Parade begins at 11 a.m.) There is an area for young children with games and rides and a wrecking ball, giant slide, space maze and a “Bubble Roller” for older children or young hearted adults. Rick Robledo and the Working Cowboy Band will play throughout the day and there will be plenty of dancing. A popular watering hole for parade day, the Mercado features three beer booths (please keep the beer inside the roped off Mercado area) and the Fiesta Association will host a wine tasting booth. For the first time this year, those wishing to purchase beer or wine will first get a bracelet and pay at a cashier’s station near the Mercado entrance, then take a ticket to the beer booth. Longtime San Juan Capistrano resident Kathy Hooper pours her heart and soul into organizing the this event and says that about 10,000 people come through the Mercado each year, making it the primary fundraiser for the Swallows Day Parade and other activities. Hooper is thankful for the support of Orange County Sherriff Deputies and Marines from the city of San Juan Capistrano’s adopted 1/11 Marines that provide event security. For more information, contact Kathy Hooper at kathylynne@cox. net or by phone at 949.496.2622 or 949.370.7328.
“HOW THE WEST WAS FUN” BY DANIELLE RATHBUN, AGE 10 BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CAPISTRANO VALLEY
Danielle Rathbun is a 4th grader at Del Obispo Elementary School and has a great passion for both art and animals. Through ongoing art programs at the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley, Danielle participated in a project to create the artwork for the 2012 Fiesta de las Golondrinas season. Her design depicting colorful horses in motion was chosen by board members of the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association as best fit for this year’s Fiesta theme, “How the West was Fun.” Her artwork can be seen on all of the Fiesta Association’s promotional materials leading up to the 54th Swallows Day Parade on March 24. Danielle is a bright, energetic ten year-old who has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley since 2008. She is grateful for the guidance she’s received in the art programs at the Boys & Girls Club as well as an opportunity to work with horses through the nonprofit organization, Bethany’s Gait. These programs, along with the others at the Boys & Girls Club, have given her self-esteem, confidence and a chance to succeed. Danielle lives in San Juan Capistrano with her Mom and two older sisters Erin and Brianna. This program marks the first in a partnership between the Fiesta Association and Picket Fence Media, which publishes The Capistrano Dispatch, Dana Point Times and San Clemente Times. For years, The Dispatch published an “unofficial” guide that included the lineup of the Swallows Day Parade. Because of deadlines, this issue does not include the lineup but the entry-by-entry list will appear in the March 23 editions of The Dispatch. The staff at Picket Fence Media is grateful to Fiesta Association not only for the countless hours they volunteer to organize the parade and related events, but for the partnership with Picket Fence Media that we hope becomes as traditional as the parade itself.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SCHMITT SAN JUAN PHOTO AND DIGITAL
TOWN MATRIARCH
HELEN MC MULLEN Helen McMullen was named Town Matriarch by the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society in 2002 because of her deep roots and love of San Juan Capistrano. She is the daughter of Ralph Charles and Reyes Marie Manriquez, both Juaneno descendents. Her father helped build the wall on Stone Field in the 1930s and
later worked in the San Pedro shipyards during WWII. Helen sang in the Mission San Juan choir for 20 years and was a guide. After she graduated from high school in 1941, she married Bill McMullen. Helen has been involved in Indian affairs for many years and is past president of the Capistrano Indian Council.
FIESTA PATRIARCH
HAPPY HUNN
Growing up with everyone calling you Happy is probably one of the greatest compliments. Thomas Hunn was the first baby born in Orange County in the year 1933. It was New Year’s Day and his parents were so pleased with his birth, they called him Happy, a name that has stuck all his life. The San Juan Capistrano Historical
Society bestowed the honor of Town Patriarch on Happy several years ago and it is role that he cherishes. Happy is a member of the Juaneno Indian tribe and consequently has deep roots in this community. His mother was a Juaneno and his father George Hunn came from Germany. His great-grandmother, Viviana Olivares, was a former
Matriarch in the 1960s. Happy worked for the City of Laguna Beach for over 38 years and was a foreman for the street department. He enjoys golf, the VFW, and is a life member of Post 3801l, past Post Commander, and a past Commander of the American Legion Post 721.
COX3 FOLLOWS THE SWALLOWS TO SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO
“Local Like No Other” entertainment leader Cox3 is following the swallows once again to San Juan Capistrano to cover the 53rd Annual Swallows Day Parade on Saturday, March 24. Cox3 has televised this time-honored community event for more than 20 years and was recognized with the 2006 Southern California Cable & Telecommunications “Lights, Camera, Actions!” award in the category of Event Coverage. For more information on Cox3’s award winning programming, please visit www.cox3.com.
2012 SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO FIESTA ASSOCIATION SWALLOWS DAY PARADE Wednesday, March 28, 8pm–10:30pm | Friday, March 30, 7pm–9:30pm | Saturday, April 7, 10am–12:30pm COX3 ON DEMAND (CH. 2636) FROM 4/08/12 – 5/08/12
SWALLOWS DAY PARADE FIESTA ASSOCIATION The Swallows Day Parade is an outgrowth of a school carnival held in the 1950s to celebrate the return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano. With a vision for something much more, several dedicated residents turned that small-town carnival into a local equestrian parade in 1958 to involve the entire community. Today, 53 parades later, the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association celebrates parade’s theme, “How the West was Fun” on Saturday, March 24 in downtown San Juan Capistrano. The San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association began as a committee of the San Juan Capistrano Business Council, which later became the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce. In addition to the equestrian parade, the group organized a trail ride and western dance. Various activities have been added and dropped
over the years, but the parade continues on. The Swallows Day Parade became such a major production over the years that in 1987 it assumed its own identity as a separate, nonprofit organization known as the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association. Since 1987, a number of other civic organizations have joined with the Fiesta Association to form a month-long celebration known as the “Fiesta de Las Golondrinas” or Return of the Swallows. In addition to celebrating the return of the swallows, the goal of the Fiesta Association events is to pay tribute to San Juan Capistrano’s unique Spanish, western and local Juaneno Indian heritage. Because of the enormous city growth since its incorporation in 1961, the Fiesta Association has played a strong role in helping newer residents assimilate into the community. In 1995, the City of San Juan Capistrano made the Fiesta Association the lead coordinating organization with approval rights for all Fiesta de las Golondrinas events. An underlying goal of the organization is that newer residents will come to appreciate San Juan Capistrano’s long and interesting history as Orange County’s oldest community. Membership in the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association is open to anyone interested in being part of a dedicated group of people who are still making history in San Juan Capistrano. Call 949.493.1976 or visit www.swallowsparade.org for more information.
FIESTA DE LAS GOLONDRINAS Sycamore Trails Stables SWALLOWS DAY PARADE St Margaret’s Episcopal School PARADE DIVISION Fluidmaster Inc. Rancho Mission Viejo MEDIA SPONSORS Capistrano Dispatch Cox Communications
MERCADO STREET FAIR San Diego Gas & Electric Las Golondrinas Mexican Food Boot Barn Capistrano Toyota/Scion Tuttle Click Ford VIP PORCH Sycamore Trails Stables The Cvengros Family The Toll Roads El Viaje De Portola Pacific Mercantile Bank Head & Neck Associates of OC
SHUTTLE BUS San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition
KIDS PET PARADE Ortega Animal Care Ricardo’s Place
FIESTA MIXER Sycamore Trails Stables Marriott Residence Inn San Juan Hills Golf Club
EL PRESIDENTE BALL Sycamore Trails Stables Ben Dixon/Pfizer Animal Health The Cvengros Family
TASTE OF SAN JUAN Sycamore Trails Stables Ortega Tack & Feed San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition Capistrano Toyota/Scion San Juan Hills Golf Club
FIESTA GRANDE The Leone Family The Swallow’s Inn SPECIAL THANKS Farmers & Merchants Bank Printing OC