Your Española Fiesta will energize the city this weekend. It is the culmination of a handful of volunteers’ hard work, continued dedication and personal sacrifice.
We can all benefit from that sacrifice by enjoying a long weekend of food, music, local talent displays, a carnival, parade and numerous dances. If there wasn’t something in that l ist that interested you, you’re living way too small.
Fiesta board president Maria Garcia, for the second consecutive year, has put together another great event with the help of some key people. These are people who care about their community enough to turn off the television and get out and roll up their sleeves.
Manny Martinez is this year’s vice president and co-chair of the music and entertainment committee responsible for scheduling, coordinating and paying all the entertainers. You can thank Manny for all the great music you can hear over the weekend.
Joe Garcia once again served as treasurer. He’s in charge of finances, wrestling money away from the city and coordinates the booth rentals, set up and take down. Want to know how much the Fiesta has taken in and spent? Joe can tell you to the penny.
LyAnn Vigil is the board’s secretary who maintains minutes for the board meetings and serves as the promotions and publicity chairperson.
Teresa Romero is the Oñate chair. She coordinates all the men‘s horses, uniforms and attendance for all events. Remember the Fiesta committee and court attend surrounding fiestas through September.
Camilla Romero, has the sad misfortune to be neighbor to Maria and Joe Garcia. That means she gets volunteered a lot. She is this year’s Reina chair who coordinates all the girls, the float, dresses and their attendance for all events. She should think about moving.
Nikki Bustos coordinated the first ever poster contest. She assists on fund-raising and helps with the party and events committee
Brian Martinez is Manny’s co-chair on the music and entertainment committee. Thank him too for the music you hear this weekend.
Chayo Garcia is the parade chair. Probably her biggest duty is forcing politicians onto floats. That seems to be a problem with politicians. Chayo coordinates parade entries, the grand marshal (Elberta Honstein) and lines up the parade Sunday morning. Please put all the politicians behind the caballeros, Chayo.
Rachel Martinez assists Camilla with her la Reina duties.
Carlos Salazar was last year’s Oñate. He assists Teresa Romero with her Oñate duties.
Ron Gallegos coordinates all religious events and the torch run.
Josephine Velasquez is a member of booths committee and party and events. She coordinates the Senior dance.
The roving volunteers are JC Garcia, Mike and Anna Rael and Lourdes Nevares. Maria Garcia said, “They do whatever we need help with.”
A lot of good people giving their time to make the community a little better. They’ll be wearing white T-shirts that say “staff” on the back during the fiesta. If you run into one, please thank them. We need more people like them.