Fiesta de Santa Fe: The oldest continous community celebration in the U.S.

History in Santa Fe

The genesis of the fiesta began with the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. After years of oppression under Spanish rule the surrounding pueblos successfully drove the Spanish colonists out of New Mexico. The mastermind of the revolt was Po’pay a medicine man from Ohkay Owingeh (formerly San Juan Pueblo) who served the Tewa people. For the next twelve years the colonists lived in El Paso del Norte, which is now a part of Ciudad Juarez and El Paso.

In July 1883 Santa Fe hosted the Tertio-Millennial and the fiesta was combined with the Fourth of July and religious devotion turned to civic pride. The advent of the railroad was a catalyst in making way for the celebration of the 333-year founding of the city. Local merchants spearheaded the exposition, which was promoted around the country. People arrived on special excursion trains from as far away as Boston to partake in the festivities. The event was a harbinger for today’s Spanish and Indian Markets with booths set up to sell art and artifacts. Elaborate pageants where staged on the plaza and a race track was built at Federal Place. A historical parade that included members of the Apache, Zuni, San Juan and Picuris tribes took part in a mock battle with Hispanics representing the Spanish Conquistadors. This was most likely the first time that Native Americans participated in a community celebration and led to subsequent fiesta events.

The basis of the Fiesta de Santa Fe began with the re-conquest of the capital city Diego de Vargas in 1692. By 1712 Don Juan Paez Hurtado, who had served as de Vargas’ lieutenant governor, drafted a resolution proclaiming that the re-conquest and the memory of de Vargas, who died that year, be commemorated by an annual fiesta. 1712 is formally cited as the historical beginning of the Fiesta de Santa Fe. Both De Vargas and De Vargas and La Conquistadora, this nation’s oldest Marion icon, are mentioned in the Fiesta proclamation that is read each year at the beginning of the festivities.. The Fiesta de Santa Fe continued as a religious festival honoring La Conquistadora during the Spanish and Mexican rule in Santa Fe through 1846. In 1848 Santa Fe became a U.S. territory and Anglo presence and influence increased and Fiesta gradually transformed. In 1883 the community celebration was combined with the Fourth of July. The Fiesta did not take place from 1913 through 1918 during World War I.

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