Spring in California is marked by the return of swallows at nearby San Juan Capistrano, and to mark the occasion, the City of San Juan Capistrano will be celebrating in a few weeks with its 60th Annual Swallows Day Parade and Mercado Street Fair.
Floats will be either hand-drawn or horse-drawn. Groups will have as few as one to four members while others will have up to 50. Commercial and business organizations are no doubt getting last minute banner printing done.
Members of the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association will be judging the marching units, majorettes, drum majors, auxiliary units, and bands. Equestrians will be judged prior to the parade by California Show Horse Association’s Professional Equestrian Parade Judge. Award belt buckles, plaques, and trophies will be presented half an hour after the parade.
The parade will step off at the intersection of El Camino Real onto Ortega Highway and march north to Del Obispo. It will then turn right and proceed to Camino Capistrano, then turn right on Camino Capistrano, finishing a little way past La Zanja.
The Mercado Street Faire will feature traditional country music performed by live bands. There will also be plenty of food trucks and a kids’ play zone for San Clemente kids.
The Mercado Street Festival will be March 24 from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm in downtown San Juan Capistrano’s Historic Town Center Park, and the parade will start at 11:00 am.
