Scene in Fullerton: Swallows Day Parade Returns for 2023

Students from Mission Basilica School holding swallow kites. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

San Juan Capistrano, California's Swallows Day Parade and Festival has returned for its 63rd Anniversary on March 25, 2023! This year's theme was "Back in the Saddle Again", appropriately named so after this being the first year with horses and horse-drawn vehicles since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic due to pandemic protocols and believe it or not, because of a highly-contagious equine virus called equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) that was being spread!

Padre Junipero Serra Riders: Las Tortugas. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Swallows Day parade and festival is a yearly celebration of swallows migrating from all the way from Goya, Argentina to the city of San Juan Capistrano. This is one of if not the largest non-motorized parade in the United States.

Mission Basilica Students dress up as swallows. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Hundreds of people participated in the parade and even more sat on the sidelines and watched the parade go by. A mercado was also open throughout the day filled with nearly a hundred vendors in the nearby Historic Town Center Park.

A re-enactor from the nonprofit charity organization the Hole in the Wall gang strikes a pose for the camera. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The parade made its way down Camino Capistrano passing by landmarks like the San Juan Capistrano Mission a.k.a. "the jewel of the California missions", the Mission Basilica, Los Rios Street, and El Adobe restaurant where former president Richard Nixon frequently dined when he visited his "Western White House" in San Clemente, California.

Residents came all the way from San Juan Capistrano's "sister city" Capestrano, Italy! They all held flags of all 20 of Italy's regions. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Swallows Day Parade is 100% community-funded from over $130,000 and run by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, which also hosted the San Juan Capistrano Kids' Pet Parade this year this past February. One of the parade's announcers was Jim Taylor, who also announced for the pet parade. Taylor is the president of the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association. Lots of other schools and nonprofit organizations marched in the parade.

Ballet Folklorico dancers with Gupo Folklorico Nuevo Amancer: a dance group based out of Lake Forest, California. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The winners of the Kids' Pet Parade made a returned appearance in the parade! These were Lily Brazil and her dog Tilly, James Glynn and his banana ball python Split, Lily and Beatrice Marquina with their ducks Waddles and JoJo, Dominic Pule and his dog Zues, and Margo Kutner and her dog Skylar.

Best costume category winners Dominic Pule and his dog Zeus. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Bird category winners Waddles and JoJo. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Domestic pet category winners Lily Brazil and her dog Tilly. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Exotic pet category winners James Glynn and his snake Split. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Kid at Heart category winners Margo Kutner and her dog Skylar. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

It was so nice to see so many familiar faces from the pet parade: both winners and the organizers. Even the horse therapy nonprofit organization Mini Madness made another appearance!

Two miniature cows from Mini Madness representing their organization. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

There were lots of amazing contributors in the parade this year, but there were some who definitely stood out from the others. This included performers, re-enactors, and animals alike!

Buccaneers of Tortuga is a historical re-enactment group portraying pirates that attacked Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1818. They re-enact battles with authentic weapons of the age with mischief and merriment.

A riderless horse solemnly strolled down the street to honor fallen cavalry deputy Brian Haney, who was tragically killed in a traffic collision in February. The riding boots are reversed in the stirrups represent a fallen leader looking back on his troops for the last time, and his horse is the one to carry him.

The Mormon Battalion and its re-enactors dress in authentic clothing from when people of the Mormon religion came to California in the mid-1800's.

Re-enactors from the Code of the West Old Repertory Company mourn death of former Los Angeles sheriff James Barton, who was assassinated in 1857 by the Flores-Daniels gang when they invaded San Juan Capistrano.

There were multiple animal rescues and nonprofit organizations including the Great Danes of Orange County, the Canine Companions, the Shea Center, and the Goods and Goats Market.

Representors of Disneyland even made an appearance since Disneyland helped fund this year's parade. Two horses from Disney's Circle D Ranch named Bert and Chief pulled their horse-drawn wagon.