Small Town News

Successful weekend festival features a theme of peace as it commemorates freedom

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An enjoyable time was naa by all last weekend in celebration of the St. Francis of Assisi Church's Fiestas Patrias event.

In some ways it seemed as if the day had been specially designed for a festival. Early on clouds came and went, threatening rain, but by the time the car show entries were in place on Main Street, the sun was glinting off all the shiny chrome and metallic paint. The vehicles' owners and friends and family found places in the shade where they popped open their coolers for refreshment, put up their banners and made themselves at home for the day.

The car show officially started at 10 a.m., the same time as the fiesta parade began to roll down Magma and onto Main. Entries ranged from the talented and colorfully clad young members of the Baile Folklorico Alma de Superior dance troupe to a series of colorful floats carrying past Queens from previous fiestas and the very youthful 2009 Queen candidates. The Queen candidates included Angelina Marlene Gomez, daughter of Andrea Torres and Robert W. E. Gomez; Jewel Valerie Meza, daughter of Valerie Macias; and, Aliana Devany Ortega, the daughter of Vickie Aguilar and Mario D. Ortega. Votes based on their fund-raising activities for the church determined who would be crowned Queen that night. Chosen for that honor was Aliana Ortega, while her two fellow candidates reigned as Princesses.

Floats with the previous Queens included those ridden on by 2006 Fiesta Queen Jessie Sanchez and 2008 Fiesta Queen Cazandra Perez.

Grand Marshall for the parade was Father Mark Long, pastor and administrator of St. Francis. This was the first Fiestas Patrias Fr. Long has celebrated in Superior.

The delicious aroma of fiesta fare had begun to waft on the breeze early as well, with food booths opening at 8 a.m. on both event mornings. Hungry people converged on the patio of St. Francis Church with its peaceful statue of that kindly saint seeming to look on in approval at the gathering with its theme of "Let There be Peace." Booth offerings ran the gamut from the popular menudo to tacos, cakes and candy and much more. Game booths and a silent auction, a raffle and other activities went on during the day. Two residents of Phoenix won prizes in the raffle with local resident Yolanda Guzman a w'inner of a $75 prize. An outdoor Mass was celebrated inside the church at 5 p.m. on Saturday, with booths and activities ceasing operations during that time. Evening entertainment on both days started at 6:30 p.m. and included the Mariachi Cielo Azul from Tucson, Baile Folklorico, popular dances, Native American Dancers and more. D.J. David Sinteral and rapper James Silvas performed at a sound stage set up in front of the church.

Food booths opened at noon following two Sunday Masses for the second fun day of the fiesta.

In common with many churches and communities that celebrate the Fiestas Patrias holiday here and in Mexico, St. Francis' theme of peace might also translate into "unity." Unified by this annual event are people all over the North American continent as they celebrate as this annual event brings people together in recognition of an important date in the history of Mexico and the North American continent as a whole. The event commemorates the happenings of Sept. 16, 1810 when a Catholic priest, Fr. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, in the village of Dolores, Mexico rang his church bell to call the people to a fight for independence from Spain that would last 11 years before its eventual success.



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© 2009 The Superior Sun Superior, Nebraska. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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