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.

The Buccaneers of Tortuga walking in the parade. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

A riderless horse honors fallen deputy Brian Haney. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The Mormon Battalion re-enactors walking in the parade. (Photo by: Olivia Morales)

Code of the West Old Repertory Company mourn death of James Barton. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

The rescue organization Great Danes of Orange County. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

 

Disneyland horses Bert and Chief of Circle D Ranch. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

** A special thank you to everyone who made this year's Swallows Day Parade possible! **

Animals Strut Their Stuff at Kids' Pet Parade and Expo

Brodie the Chihuahua dressed in traditional Huichol clothing. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

     Pets and their proud owners gathered on Los Rios Street in San Juan Capistrano, California on February 18, 2023, for the city's first annual Kids' Pet Parade and Expo since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This event is hosted by the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association.

    This event not only held a parade for kids ages 5-12 years old to show off their pets, but there were also multiple animal rescues showing off pets available for fostering and/or adoption.

    Multiple pets and their families showed up for the event but only the winners of each category would be eligible to walk in this year's Swallow's Day Parade. This event kicks off a series of events through the months of February and March 2023. The next upcoming events are the El Presidenté Ball on March 11, Fiesta Grandé on March 22, a series of contests on March 24, and the Swallows Day Parade on March 25.

Miniature cows from Mini Madness. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

    San Juan Capistrano resident Jim Taylor was this year's host and lawyers Michael and Courtney Cefali paid for and sponsored this event.

    All walks of life - both human and animal, came to have fun and meet new friends at this year's event. The animals varied from domestic, farm, and exotic. This included dogs, cats, ducks, miniature cows and horses, and even snakes!

                        Here are the names of the winners of the parade decided by the judges:

                                              Domestic Pet: Lily Brazil and her dog Tilly

                                        Exotic Pet: James Glynn and his banana ball python Split

                                Bird: Lily and Beatrice Marquina with their ducks Waddles and JoJo

                                             Team Costume: Dominc Pule and his dog Zeus

                                            Kid At Heart: Margo Kutner and her dog Skylar

Zeus and his owners were the winners for team costume. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Split the Banana Ball Python and his owner James Glynn win for exotic pet. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

                    And here are the names of some of the rescue organizations that came to the event:

                                                                  Promise 4 Paws

                                                                Compassion Works

                                                                   Doggie Bonez

                                                                   Mini Madness

                                                              Dream Animal Rescue

 

Rescue dog from Doggie Bonez rescue hops up to investigate the camera. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

      Pateau from Promise 4 Paws looking dapper in a hot dog costume. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

Two cats from Dream Animal Rescue have staring contest with camera lens. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

      An elderly rescue dog from Promise 4 Paws smiles for the camera. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

JoJo the duck strolls on over to get a closer look at the camera and then sits in the photographer's lap. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

                 French Bulldog rescue from Promise 4 Paws strikes a pose. (Photo by Olivia Morales)

** A special thank you to everyone who made this year's Kids' Pet Parade and Expo possible! **