Do you know your Fiesta? Locals take a whack at a spot quiz on annual event

August 7, 2009 7:06 AM

Fiesta is a well-known celebration of Santa Barbara's history, but how well do locals know the event?

The News-Press hit El Mercado de la Guerra and parts of State Street on Wednesday -- opening day of the five-day party -- to find out just how much people know about the Fiesta.

First question: What is Competencia de los Vaqueros?

Joshua Pemberton, a concert promoter and resident of Santa Barbara, responded after a brief pause "competition of cowboys. . .its like a rodeo."

Ronnie Ybarra, 52, a judicial officer from Carpinteria, offered a similar response. "A cowboy competition," he said.

Assembly-line worker Carmen Diaz had a different idea. It's "when two vaqueros compete for a reason, like for the love of a woman or to see who's stronger," said the 37-year-old Santa Barbara resident.

For those who don't know, Competencia de los Vaqueros is the Fiesta rodeo and stock horse show, held at Earl Warren Showgrounds.

The next question, What is El Desfile Histórico?, proved to be a challenging one for the younger participants.

Daina Torres, 17, of Santa Barbara, puzzled, searched for an answer for a minute, then finally said, "I really don't know."

Junior Zanabria, an 8-year-old from Santa Barbara, pondered the question with a confused look on his face. "Desfile histórico?" He finally just shrugged his shoulders.

Up the street selling confetti eggs -- cascarones -- with her grandson, Belel Caxto knew the answer immediately. El Desfile Histórico is the annual parade, which gets underway at noon today.

"Muy bueno," said an excited Ms. Caxto. "Muy bueno parade fiesta."

Directional acuity could have been the category of the next question: Where is El Mercado de La Guerra?

Ashlynn Medeiros, 39, of Carpinteria, will tell you to "walk down State Street until you find De la Guerra. . .look for the booths and you're there."

Retired adventurer Robert "Bob" Lake, 55, pointed in the direction of the space east of State and between De la Guerra and Ortega streets, and exclaimed, "The grassy courtyard bordered with food stands!"

"Isn't it this marketplace here?" said another retiree, Steve Treanor of Ventura, standing in the middle of the plaza.

De la Guerra is but one of the mercados. MacKenzie Park, off Las Positas Road, south of State Street, is the site of El Mercado del Norte.

So, how do you get there?

Gardener Rolando Jimenez, 24, was a bit unsure. "El Mercado. . .up by La Cumbre maybe?"

Kendra Rhodes of Orcutt hit it spot on.

"At MacKenzie Park up in the San Roque area."

Michael Lazaro, 47, of Santa Barbara was somewhat vague in his response. "Over on upper State Street."

Everyone we talked to was stumped to find an answer to this question: What are fiesteros?

"Never heard of it," said Carpinteria resident Alyssa Chavez, 17, on break from dancing at the main stage at El Mercado de La Guerra.

Adrianna Muñoz, 13, brainstormed with some friends and decided she had no idea either. Finally, after much thought she said, "I'm thinking it's an object."

"A male dancer maybe?"

Michelle Baptiste, a 26-year-old teacher from France, pointed to all the booths in El Mercado de la Guerra and replied, "This!"

"It's a big celebration," she added.

Close. Fiesteros is another word for Fiesta celebrants.

Our test of peoples' Fiesta knowledge ends with the question, What is El Fandango?

Santa Barbara mom, Maria Frye, 31, reluctantly said, "I think it's a big party where you get dressed up."

Delilah Velasquez, 37, of Riverside, replied, "Music, maybe?"

Goleta resident Christy O'Neill, 20, said with enthusiasm, "It's that thing on the Internet for movie tickets."

Actually, El Fandango is the costume party during Fiesta.