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

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 Mem-ber Mixer, Kids Pet Parade, Taste of San Juan, El Presidente Ball, Fiesta Grande and Hoos’Gow Day all leading up to the grand �nale – �e 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!

I don’t think there is much that repre-sents the �avor 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.

�is vibrant parade, which has been an institution in our town for more than �ve decades, caps o� a month of activities put on by the all-volunteer San Juan Capistra-no 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 accom-panying 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

CITY OF SAN JUAN CAPISTRANOMAYOR

WELCOME

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/MerchandiseSteve Weekes El Presidente

2012 FIESTA ASSOCIATION

Gregg Kendrick Sheri� /Shuttle Bus

Je� Schroeder Publicity/Treasurer

NOT PICTURED: Kathy Hooper

Mercado Street Faire Je� Martin

Assistant Parade Chair

BY STEVE WEEKESEL PRESIDENTE MESSAGE

PAST GRAND MARSHALSGRAND MARSHALS

Barbara Stanwyck & Audie MurphyScotty ClaytonJohn Rovick (Sheri� John)Buddy Ebsen (Actor)Claude Akins (Actor)Monty Montana (Actor)James Drury (�e Virginian)Gary VinsonRichard Arlen (Actor)George Putnam*Special Guest: President Richard M. NixonBuck Taylor (Actor)Roberta Lynn (Champagne Lady)Bill Skiles, Pete Henderson, Jimmy RogersAndy Devine (Actor)Jeanette Nolan (Dirty Sally)Brad Gates (O.C. Sheri�)Monty Montana (Actor)

YEAR

1960196119621963196419651966196719681969

197019711972

1973197419751976

GRAND MARSHALS

Jock Mahoney (Actor)Iron Eyes Cody (Actor)Richard O’Neill & Alice AveryLeon RenePat O’Malley (Actor)C. Fulton ShawTony MoisoBrian Goodell (Olympic Gold Medalist)Monsig. Paul Martin Carl Bucheim (San Juan’s 1st Mayor)Dan Haggerty (Grizzly Adams)Todd HartRusty Richards (Actor & Horse Trainer)Peter Sherayko (Actor)Shelley Taylor Morgan (Actress)Larry Bucheim Tony ForsterTeeter Marie Oliveras RomeroGilbert G. Aguirre

GRAND MARSHALS

George AvilaBill & Pat BathgateJohn & Marie LacouagueElarion M. “Larry” HernandezJoan Irvine SmithMelvin M. RosenbaumBill Webb, Julian Ramos, Pat Forster, Tom Hribar, William ZintlMonsignor Paul MartinPaul & Betty ValenzuelaShigeru ‘Shig’ & Miyeko KinoshitaGary & Collene CampbellMillie & Gil JonesKay ShawMelitas ForsterWyatt HartArturo and Maria Galindo Bill and Joan Cvengros

YEAR

1977197819791980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992199319941995

YEAR

1996199719981999200020012002

2003200420052006200720082009 201020112012

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. �ey 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 �erapeutic Rid-ing 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.

2012

GRAND MARSHALS

BILL JOAN CVENGROS

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.

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 Associa-tion go back many years.

SEÑOR SAN JUAN

JOHN “FISH” FISCHLEMS. FIESTA

NANCY INGHAM

�e 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. �ey are eighth graders at Marco Forster Middle School in San Juan and have both lived in San Juan Capistrano for most of their lives. �ey have wonderful support from their families and also happen to be good friends!

ORTEGA HWY.

ACJACHEMA ST.

DON JUAN AVE.

EL HORNO ST.

SPRING ST.

FORSTER ST.

YORBA ST.

LA ZANJA

I-5 FWY

MERCADOEL CAMINO REAL

LA CALERA ST.

SHUTTLE PARKING

SHUTTLE PICK-UP

PARADESTART

PARADEEND

RANCHO VIEJO RD.

LA MATANZA

CAMINO CAPISTRANO

MISSION SAN JUANCAPISTRANOSOCCER FIELD TENNIS COURTS

DEL OBISPO

OC Sheri� Command PostMarie Callender’s, 3171 Del Obispo St.

Woman’s Club/Rotary Pancake

Breakfast

ENDEVCO30700 Rancho Viejo Rd.

Sports Park (Camino Del Avion)

VIP PORCH

FLUIDMASTER30800 Rancho Viejo Rd.

SHUTTLE DROP-OFF,

PICK UP

Equestrian & Band Awards

Mission Grill

Green Dots = Portable Toilets

HTC PARK: Lost & FoundFiesta Assocation Command Post

StagingArea Playhouse

Library

Swallows Inn

El Adobe11 Portable Toilets

10 Portable Toilets

PLAZA CAPISTRANO BUSINESS PARK

30200 Rancho Viejo Rd.

PARADE

ROUTE

EVENT

MAP

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Held throughout downtown San Juan Capistrano, this event is a long standing San Juan tradition where Fiesta As-sociation sheri� 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. �ere are roaming jails in the city and the “jail birds” must pay a fee to be released.

11 a.m. marks the start of the parade in downtown San Juan Capistrano. �e Mercado Street Fair takes place at the historic Town Center Park o� of El Camino Real and Ortega Highway from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Rain or shine!

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).

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.

EL PRESIDENTE BALLSATURDAY, MARCH 17

FIESTA GRANDEWednesday, March 21

HOOS’GOW DAYFriday, March 23

54TH SWALLOWS DAY PARADE & MERCADOSaturday, March 24

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.

A major Parade Day tradition and key fundraiser in the background is the Mercado Street Faire.

�e 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. �is year, the Mercado will feature about 175 street vendors selling food, drinks, jewelry, western items and a variety of arts and cra�s items. �e Mercado is free to attend and runs from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (the Swallows Day Parade begins at 11 a.m.)

�ere 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 through-out 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 o� Mer-cado area) and the Fiesta Association will host a wine tasting booth. For the �rst time this year, those wishing to purchase beer or wine will �rst get a bracelet and pay at a cashier’s station near the Mer-cado 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 activi-ties. Hooper is thankful for the support of Orange County Sher-ri� 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.

Whether it’s dropping a noose around the Mayor’s neck to “ezncourage” the City Council’s support of the Fiesta Association or keep-ing 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 e�orts.

Danielle Rathbun is a 4th grader at Del Obispo Elementary School and has a great passion for both art and animals.

�rough 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 �t for this year’s Fiesta theme, “How the West was Fun.”

Her artwork can be seen on all of the Fiesta Association’s pro-motional materials leading up to the 54th Swallows Day Parade on March 24.

Danielle is a bright, energetic ten year-old who has been a mem-ber 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 nonpro�t organization, Bethany’s Gait. �ese programs, along with the others at the Boys & Girls Club, have given her self-esteem, con�dence and a chance to succeed.

Danielle lives in San Juan Capistrano with her Mom and two older sisters Erin and Brianna.

BY DANIELLE RATHBUN, AGE 10BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CAPISTRANO VALLEY

“HOW THE WEST WAS FUN”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT SCHMITTSAN JUAN PHOTO AND DIGITAL

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 grate-ful 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.

Growing up with everyone calling you Happy is probably one of the greatest compliments. �omas Hunn was the �rst 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.

�e San Juan Capistrano Historical

HAPPY HUNN FIESTA PATRIARCH

HELEN MC MULLEN TOWN MATRIARCH

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 Juane-no descendents. Her father helped build the wall on Stone Field in the 1930s and

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-grand-mother, Viviana Olivares, was a former

Matriarch in the 1960s. Happy worked for the City of Laguna

Beach for over 38 years and was a fore-man 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.

later worked in the San Pedro shipyards during WWII.

Helen sang in the Mission San Juan choir for 20 years and was a guide. A�er she graduated from high school in 1941, she married Bill McMullen.

Helen has been involved in Indian af-fairs for many years and is past president of the Capistrano Indian Council.

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 South-ern 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–12:30pmCOX3 ON DEMAND (CH. 2636) FROM 4/08/12 – 5/08/12

�e 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 As-sociation celebrates parade’s theme, “How the West was Fun” on Saturday, March 24 in downtown San Juan Capistrano.

�e San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association began as a com-mittee of the San Juan Capistrano Business Council, which later became the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce. In addi-tion 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. �e Swallows Day Parade became such a major production over the years that in 1987 it assumed its own identity as a separate, nonpro�t organi-zation 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 Swal-lows. 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 incorpora-tion 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 interest-ing 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.

SWALLOWS DAY PARADE

FIESTA ASSOCIATION

FIESTA DE LAS GOLONDRINAS Sycamore Trails Stables

SWALLOWS DAY PARADE

St Margaret’s Episcopal School

PARADE DIVISION Fluidmaster Inc.

Rancho Mission Viejo

MEDIA SPONSORSCapistrano Dispatch

Cox Communications

MERCADO STREET FAIR San Diego Gas & Electric

Las Golondrinas Mexican FoodBoot Barn

Capistrano Toyota/ScionTuttle Click Ford

VIP PORCH

Sycamore Trails Stables�e Cvengros Family

�e Toll RoadsEl Viaje De Portola

Paci�c Mercantile BankHead & Neck Associates of OC

SHUTTLE BUSSan Juan Capistrano Equestrian

Coalition

FIESTA MIXERSycamore Trails StablesMarriott Residence Inn

San Juan Hills Golf Club

TASTE OF SAN JUANSycamore Trails Stables

Ortega Tack & FeedSan Juan Capistrano Equestrian

CoalitionCapistrano Toyota/ScionSan Juan Hills Golf Club

KIDS PET PARADEOrtega Animal Care

Ricardo’s Place

EL PRESIDENTE BALLSycamore Trails Stables

Ben Dixon/P�zer Animal Health�e Cvengros Family

FIESTA GRANDE

�e Leone Family�e Swallow’s Inn

SPECIAL THANKS

Farmers & Merchants BankPrinting OC