Welcome to the Neighborhood

20 Years in  San Juan Capistrano

The City of San Juan Capistrano is a unique community grounded in a history of native American culture, the famous Mission established by Franciscan missionaries in 1776, and an agrarian past. Officially incorporated as a city in 1961 San Juan Capistrano is a community whose foundation was laid by the earliest people to inhabit the land, and a community still evolving after more than 220 years of California history. Nowhere in the state of California is the history of western small towns so fully revealed as in the few square blocks of downtown San Juan Capistrano. These streets bear witness to events, people, and the evolution of the town and the Camino Real Playhouse is proud to be a part of this historic town.

When you think of San Juan Capistrano ... most people think of the Swallows Festival or "Fiesta de Las Golondrinas" which is a two-month long celebration of the return of the swallows on March 19 of each year. The festival begins in late February with the "Taste of San Juan Reception".

 

In mid-March, Swallows Week is kicked off with the President's Ball followed by a week of events such as the Hairiest Man Contest, Hoosegow Day, pancake breakfast, rodeo, the annual Swallows Day Parade and the not-to-be-missed annual Old-West Melodrama at the Camino Real Playhouse.

 

 

For more information on this fun and historical annual festival ... visit the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association website. www.swallowsparade.com

The Camino Real Playhouse loves to get involved in the Swallows Festival. In San Juan Capistrano's 46th Annual "Swallows Day" parade the Playhouse won the 2nd Place award for walking entries in 2004.

In 2005 playhouse volunteers had a great time coordinating, designing, building, and riding on the Playhouse's first horse drawn float for San Juan Capistrano's 47th Annual "Swallows Day" parade. Although we didn't get any awards in 2005 ... everyone that participated came away as winners bringing community talents together for a day of fun ... in between the raindrops.

 

 

In 2006 we won the Fiesta Associations FIRST PLACE award for our "Professor Mack's Traveling Medicine Show" horse drawn float with the entire cast of our record breaking 2006 Melodrama Dirty Deeds at the Depot. For everyone that helped us and got sun burned in the process ... a big thank you! We sang our new theme song "San Juan" and the judges must appreciate good music.

 

 

Below you will find a few photos of those involved in supporting the City of San Juan Capistrano in past Swallow's Day Parades. Come join in the fun next year ... become a part of the ongoing history of our community of San Juan Capistrano.

 

 

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