Mission San Juan Capistrano - The Jewel of the California Missions


	Return of the Swallows Celebration 2008

Swallows Day History | Schedule of Events | 2008 Sponsors

Mission San Juan Capistrano will present its annual Return of the Swallows celebration on Saturday, March 15, 2008.

For more details on our date change for this event, please click here to read “Why Swallows Day is Different this Year" - A Letter from Father Arthur A. Holquin, Pastor, Mission San Juan Capistrano

Return of the Swallows Celebration
Saturday, March 15, 2008
9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Click here for schedule

St. Joseph’s Day Press Conference
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

Live music, community presentations, Mission Parish School performances, cultural merchants and food, an exclusive performance by Renée Bondi singing Leon René’s classic song, “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”, guided tours, children’s activities, and much more.

This event is free to all members, and free as part of paid admission to the Mission for non-members.

2008 Swallows Festival - Arts & Crafts	2008 Swallows Festival - Mariachi Kids

* * * *

Mission to Greet Returning Swallows,
Legend Dates Back Centuries

Mission San Juan Capistrano will present its annual Return of the Swallows celebration Saturday, March 15, 2008 with a press conference and ringing of the historic bells to follow on Wednesday, March 19, 2008. Festivities during the Saturday feast day include the traditional bell ringing, pageantry, live entertainment, ethnic foods, and cultural merchants all to mark the return of those famous birds to Capistrano.

The Return of the Swallows Celebration, the Mission's biggest annual event, marks the coming of spring - a time of renewal and rebirth.

Other highlights during the day on Saturday include Living History Members, scheduled Docent tours, artisans demonstrating crafts, mariachi performers, school choirs and dancers, Native American performance groups, ethnic foods and much more.

The swallows migrate annually to Goya, Argentina in October, and return to their spring and summer home in San Juan Capistrano each March. The Swallows celebration began centuries ago when Mission padres observed that the birds return roughly coincided with St. Joseph's Day on the church calendar, March 19. The celebration has achieved international prominence since then.

For more details on our date change for 2008’s festivities, please click here to read “Why Swallows Day is Different this Year" - A Letter from Father Arthur A. Holquin, Pastor, Mission San Juan Capistrano.

* * * *

In his book, Capistrano Nights, Father St. John O'Sullivan, Pastor of Mission San Juan Capistrano 1910-33, relates how the swallows first came to call the Mission home. One day, while walking through town, Fr. O'Sullivan saw a shopkeeper, broomstick in hand, knocking down the conically shaped mud swallow nests that were under the eaves of his shop. The birds were darting back and forth through the air squealing over the destruction of their homes.

"What in the world are you doing?" Fr. O'Sullivan asked.

"Why, these dirty birds are a nuisance and I am getting rid of them!" the shopkeeper responded.

"But where can they go?"

"I don't know and I don't care," he replied, slashing away with his pole. "But they've no business here, destroying my property"

Fr. O'Sullivan then said, "Come on swallows, I'll give you shelter. Come to the Mission. There's room enough there for all."

The very next morning, the padre discovered the swallows busy building their nests outside the newly restored sacristy of Father Serra's Church. Another favorite spot was the ruins of the Great Stone Church, which was once lined with hundreds of swallows' nests.

Fr. O'Sullivan noticed that the small birds migrated south in the autumn and returned to the Mission in spring on St. Joseph's Day, March 19th. Upon their arrival, the swallows immediately went to work patching up their old nests, building new ones, and disputing possession of others with 'vagrant sparrow families' as they may have taken up illegal quarter there during the swallows' absence.

With a great flutter of wings, the swallows would peck at the soil, fly with a bit of it from the old Mission lagoon to the northeast of the buildings. Using the water they made a paste of the earth in their beaks, amid more fluttering of wings at the pond's edge. They then flew to the eaves of the Mission to deliver their loads of mud plaster for the walls of their inverted houses, and, as O'Sullivan observed, "receive the noisy congratulations of their mates".

One of Fr. O' Sullivan's companions at the Mission, José de Gracia Cruz, known as Acú, told Fr. O'Sullivan many stories and legends of the Mission. Acú, a descendent of the Juaneño Indians, was the Mission's bell ringer until his death in 1924, and spent long hours under the Mission's famed pepper tree making various items from leather

One of Acú's most colorful tales was that of the swallows (or las golondrinas as he called them). Acú believed that the swallows flew over the Atlantic Ocean to Jerusalem each winter. In their beaks they carried little twigs, on which they could rest on water when tired.

Return of the Swallows Celebration
Saturday, March 15, 2008
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Front Gate:
9:30	Mariachi Anacatlan performs This group of dynamic and energetic young musicians is comprised of five men and four women. They were among the winners of our annual Battle of the Mariachis contest in the year 2007.
Serra Quad Stage:
10:00	Welcome Introduction: Mechelle Lawrence, along with emcees, Joe Soto and Ray Perez Renée Bondi, born and raised in San Juan Capistrano, is an author and recording artist. She has traveled throughout America sharing her story and music. Renée recorded and will perform Leon René’s hit song, “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”. Official Bell Ringer, Michael Gastelum, will ring the historic bells after Renée’s performance.
10:15	Introduction of King, Queen and Royal Court from Mission Parish School. Mission Parish School performs traditional dances under the direction of Helen De Lain.
11:00	Ballet Folklorico performance Ballet Folklorico de San Juan Capistrano has just celebrated 14 years as a city-sponsored after school program. Dancers’ ages range from 7 – 17. The dance group has participated in many community and city-wide events, as well as the Orange County Fair and Rancho Days.
11:30	Mariachi Anacatlan performance (see description listed under 9:30 a.m. performance)
11:45	Alina's School of Dance performs Fiesta Dancers bring the beauty of Spanish and Mexican Dance
12:00	Mariachi Anacatlan performance (see description listed under 9:30 a.m. performance)
12:15	Capo Valley Symphony performance Traditional Italian music in celebration of our Sister City, Capestrano, Italy
12:45	Alina's School of Dance performs Fiesta Dancers bring the beauty of Spanish and Mexican Dance
1:00	Renée Bondi sings “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”
1:15	Mariachi Kids performance Traditional Mariachi music, ages 6 to 16 years
1:45	Aztec Dancers performance Aztec ritual dance from Mexico City
2:15	Pearson “White Cloud” Tahuka-Nunez and Jackson “Rolling Thunder” Tahuka-Nunez Descendents of the Juaneno Indians who built the Mission performing traditional dances.
2:30	Tushmal Singers performance The Tushmalum Heleckun (Hummingbird Singers) are associated with the Juaneno/Acjachemen Ancestors. They have performed at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles, Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, and at the Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach.
2:45	Sajama – Music from the Andes performance Sajama, named after the highest peak in the Andes, is a unique group with Andean musical roots. The group was formed in 1990 by its leader Ruben G. Ortiz. Sajama has performed in numerous events, concerts, movies and television shows throughout the United States.
4:00	Return of the Swallows Celebration Ends

Activities:
	Available all day are Docent Station Tours throughout the property, and children’s craft stations in the South West Quad, North West Quad, and outside of the Rancho Room
Food Vendors:
	Las Golondrinas, Domino’s Pizza, Metro Java, Hawaiian Delight, S&T Bakery, and the Capistrano Indian Council
Merchant Displays:
	Yuri’s Collection, Elena’s Creations, Connie Basso, Arte Liberal, Zapotec Weaving, Zoomar’s, Wick’d Bean Candles, Juaneno Band of Mission Indians, Gavin Fine Art & Design T-Shirts, Blas Aguilar Adobe Museum, Aztec Face Painting, RHE-Flections by Rhea, Mission Docent Society, Mission Preservation Society Membership, Mission Women’s Guild Cookbooks, Discovery Science Center, and KSBR broadcasting live!

St. Joseph’s Day Press Conference
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008

9:00	Executive Director Mechelle Lawrence gives welcoming remarks from the podium. The history of St. Joseph’s day is explained. Dignitaries and honored guests are introduced
9:05	Speeches from Special Guests, including: Anthony R. Moiso, President and C.E.O., Rancho Mission Viejo and President of the Board, Mission Preservation Foundation The Very Reverend Arthur A. Holquin, Rector/Pastor, Mission Basilica Joe Soto, Mayor of San Juan Capistrano Connie Spenuzza, M.S., E.D., on the board of the Mission Preservation Foundation, as well as Bowers Museum, and Vice Chair of Imperial Manufacturing Co. John Tattum, Member of Mission San Juan Capistrano Docent Society Jeff Schroeder, El Presidente, San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association
9:30	Ringing of the historic Mission Bells by Michael Gastelum and Raphael Gutierrez In honor of St. Joseph
9:35	Interviews and Photo Opportunity for members of the press
9:45	St. Joseph’s Day Press Event Ends

2008 Swallows Day Celebration Sponsors

MAJOR SPONSOR:

CR&R Waste and Recycling Services
ACTIVITY SPONSORS

Cutting Edge Chiropractic	Trilogy Financial Services
ST. JOSEPH'S TABLE PROJECT SPONSORS
Mission Parish School San Juan Capistrano Sister City Program Trader Joes

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