Fiestas Patrias - Celebrating Mexican Independence

San Diego is busy this weekend!  Old Town is hosting a Beer Festival with unlimited 2oz tastings.  But there’s a $25 cover, not really my thing.

Also today is Old Town Founders’ Day presentation and the Harney Street Market.  And all these events are FREE!, now that’s my thing.

Although free events are good, neither were enough for me to ride the bike down the hill.  However, today Old Town is hosting Fiestas Patrias, Mexican Independence Day.

On September 16, 1810 Miguel Hidalgo, a parish priest in the small town of Dolores, offered an impassioned cry of sorrow and anger that inspired the revolt against Spain.  
Known as the Grito de Dolores.  It was indeed a call to arms.

Old Town celebrates with traditional music and dance, and what is thought to be the gist of the Hidalgo Speech.

I passed on most of the talking heads, but the music of the Mariachi Divinas was excellent.

Certainly good enough to get this young gal on her feet.

The adult dancers brought their own canned music ...

Later in the afternoon there will be Mexican cooking demonstrations.  The street tacos looked really good!

Add a cup of pozole cooked over the fire for me!

Mexican Monte is a slight of hand card trick.  Alas, I was too early, no one was at the table

The local caballeros have cell phones!

Later they will be giving roping demonstrations and inviting the kids to give it a try.

The Harney Street Market was also in progress.  This is an artisan market with various crafts for purchase.

I’m glad Fran was not with me, we might still be there!  These characters show up at many of the Old Town events.

The park was also hosting Founders’ Day.  San Diego was already growing when Mexico declared its independence.  These ‘founders’ are demonstrating the correct technique for building with mud bricks that have not been fired.

From its start San Diego was a mix of nationalities, and it remains an interesting ‘melting pot’.

The Mormon Battalion was stationed in San Diego during the Mexican American War.  Although not exactly ‘founders’ in my mind, they do have a big history throughout San Diego County.

Again not ‘founders’ but what's not to like about the immaculate cars of the San Diego Model A Club?

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This weekend is also Bayfair, a big weekend for the powerboats!  Sprint boats go fast but not far, jet skis have a slalom run, those loud hydroplanes have a really fast oval course … I didn’t give them a thought!

The Dragon Boat preliminaries are also this weekend.  The international finals will be on the same course in a couple weeks.

ready, set, GO!

Today’s teams are mostly Laotian, competing in Men, Women, Mixed team categories.

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Gross! Fresh squeezed sugarcane?

Awards ceremony will be held here tomorrow.

I had to track down the announcer – he talks fast in Lao and never stopped!

I’ll leave you with this picture of Miss Dragon Boat … I agree it’s a tie!

This is my first post on my new-to-me Notebook.  Previously I've used laptops that could be used as 'portable desktops'.  Let me know if there are any issues with this post!