Take a step back in time to those thrilling days of yesteryear when the social life of the great ranchos revolved around the grand fiestas. Relive those great outdoor parties with caballeros chasing señoritas, meat cooking on an open grill, dancing and entertainment.
Old Mission San Juan Bautista continues the long tradition when it again hosts the great fiesta to honor its namesake—St. John the Baptist—June 22 in the historic Olive Grove adjacent to the Mission, located at 406 Second St. in San Juan Bautista. If you really want to get into the spirit, wear a period costume.
The Mission has a strong presence in the population and today’s fiestas occur right where they always have, lifting the spirits of people in the sparsely populated early California.
Reviving a tradition after 40 years is the Grupo Nauhcampa, a traditional conchero dance group. The conchero dance preserves the ancestral music and dance forms from indigenous communities in Central Mexico. The group’s directors, Manuel and Irma De La Rosa, currently lead the group in Gilroy with members ranging from 6 to 65 years of age. Whereas the concheros are related to Aztec dancers, their steps are slower and more marked with more incorporation of mandolins and an armadillo-backed guitar called a concha, hence the name concheros. The dance rituals are often accompanied by the singing of traditional hymns.
In addition to the concheros, Mariachi Juvenil Alma de Mexico, a youth mariachi group from Gilroy, will perform. And back by popular request is the Nu-Horizon Band playing traditional Mexican and Latin groove dance music.
For years, the San Juan Club has served the barbecue chicken dinners. Starting early in the morning, the oak fire is prepared for the chicken, which is coated with a mystery marinade known only by the group. The cost of the dinner is $8 per plate and includes salad, French bread and chili beans. Beer, wine and sodas are available and the food booths have exotic foods.
The fiesta is a multi-cultural, family event open to all with free admission, entertainment, affordable food, demonstrations and activities. Children will be entertained with games and game booths and fiesta-goers can even tool up their skills at the bean bag toss. For $2 a ticket—or six tickets for $10—enter a drawing for $2,000.
The Fiesta is planned and staffed entirely by volunteers, and all proceeds—above expenses—go to the reconstruction and repair of the Mission and museum.
For more information, call (408) 500-8353.
