Festivals
The cry of "Viva la Fiesta" rings out in the streets of Santa Fe every autumn. Santa Feans celebrate Fiesta annually to commemorate Don Diego De Vargas' peaceful reoccupation of the City of Holy Faith in 1692. The first Fiesta de Santa Fe was established in 1712 by Governor Marquez de La Peñuela. The proclamation specified a mass, vespers, and a sermon, thus setting the religious tone still characterizing modern fiestas.
The Santa Fe Fiesta Council is comprised of 100 regular members and 20 representatives of civic organizations and businesses. This group of people promotes, manages and perpetuates the annual Fiesta for the benefit of the City of Santa Fe and its citizens. The Fiesta Council also enlists the cooperation of the local citizens, the Catholic Church, the local business community and both the City and County of Santa Fe officials.
2007 Santa Fe Fiesta Schedule
September 2
7:30pm: Mariachi Extraveganza de Santa Fe with Mariachi Sangre Mexicana at The Santa Fe Opera. Call the Santa Fe Opera at 505-986-5900 or 1-800-280-4654.
September 5
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm: Concierto de Mariachi Matinee featuring: Mariachi Azteca de Sol and Mariachi Tepeyac. Lensic Performing Art Center, Call 505-988-1234 for tickets.
6:00 pm: Historical Lecture: Women on the Camino Real by Henrietta M. Christmas, St. Francis Auditorium, Museum of Fine Arts
September 6
3:00 pm - Dusk: Burning of Zozobra at Fort Marcy Park
September 7
6:00 am: Pregon de La Fiesta and De Vargas Mass at the Rosario Chapel
9:00am - 6:00pm: Arts & Crafts / Food Booths at the Santa Fe Plaza
12:00 Noon: City & State Opening of Fiesta at the Santa Fe Plaza
2:00 pm: Entrada de Don Diego De Vargas at the Santa Fe Plaza
7:00 pm: Fiesta at the Lensic featuring: Mariachi Azteca de Sol, Mariachi Tepeyac. Tickets at Lensic Performing Art Center call 505-988-1234
September 8
9:00 am: Desfile de los Ninos (Children's Pet Parade) around Santa Fe Plaza
10:00 am - 12:00 pm: Entertainment on the Plaza at the Santa Fe Plaza 11:30 am -12:30 pm: Queen's Audience/ Audencia con la Reina on the Santa Fe Plaza
6:00 pm - 11:00 pm: Gran Baile (Fiesta Ball) at the Eldorado Hotel
September 9
9:30 am: Solemn Procession from Palace of the Governors to St. Francis Cathedral
10:00 am: Pontifical Fiesta Mass at St. Francis Cathedral
1:00 pm: Desfile de la Fiesta - Historical/Hysterical Parade from De Vargas Mall - Paseo de Peralta - Palace - Sandoval - Alameda - Guadalupe to De Vargas Mall
5:30 pm: Closing Ceremonies on the Santa Fe Plaza
7:00 pm: Mass of Thanksgiving and Candlelight Procession at the St. Francis Cathedral
Desfile De Los Niños, The Fiesta Children's Pet Parade
The Fiesta Children's Pet Parade has been one of Santa Fe's favorites for over 60 years. Proud parents and grandparents crowd the parade route and many Santa Feans will not miss this photo opportunity, even if they don't know a single rabbit in the parade. Be sure to take in this event for an example of Santa Fe creativity and enthusiasm.
The kids and their pets register at the intersection of Palace and Otero starting at 7:30 a.m., September 8, 2007. (Registration (free) begins at 7:30 a.m.) The parade starts at 9:00 a.m. and attracts over 1,400 participants and special groups such as local school bands and special characters.
As they pass the Queen and court and the judges on the reviewing stand, the entrants are judged for prizes in these categories:
- Best Historical
- Best Hysterical
- Most Original
- Best Musical group
- Best child/pet look alike
- Best group
- Best message to other kids
- Best family entry
- Best Fiesta theme
- Best story book character
- 2 judge meritorious awards
Parade Route
The parade starts in the parking lot of La Residencia and continues down Paseo de Peralta to Palace, turns left on Palace to Grant, right on Grant to Marcy, right on Marcy and continues up to Paseo de Peralta, turns right on Paseo de Peralta and continues back to the parking lot of La Residencia where all entrants enjoy a traditional post-parade of Popsicles and soft drinks.
Parade Regulations
The Desfile de los Niños is for the children. Any adults in the parade must be accompanying a child with a pet or stuffed animal. Since this is a children's parade, no groups whether of political, religious, or other special interest groups are permitted in the parade to support and/or advertise for their own causes.
For safety reasons, we cannot permit the following in the Pet Parade:
- No horses
- No ponies
- No donkeys
- No llamas
- Or other large animals
- No motorized (gas or electric) vehicles, except wheel chairs for physically challenged parade entrants.
- No advertising, political campaigning or religious-oriented advertising will be allowed in the parade.
- Beginning in the year 2000, Fiesta Council has declared an edict that no candy will be allowed in any parade as this poses the danger of injury.
- Throwing of any object by parade participants or spectators is not allowed.
|
|
