LAKEPORT >> Rancho de la Fuente and Rancho Californio will present a new event titled Californio Days to be held at Rancho de la Fuente on July 27.
Admission to the family-friendly event will be free-of-charge and people can arrive to park beginning at 9:45 a.m.
Festivities kick off with the Fiesta of the Horse show, which begins at 10:30 a.m., followed at noon by musical entertainment, wine, beverages and food sales, as well as an opportunity to browse educational displays devoted to California history, agriculture, artwork and crafts.
The Fiesta of the Horse show will feature exotic breeds, dancing horses, drill teams, giant draft horses demonstrating horse-drawn farming techniques and implements, cowboy mounted shooting and the Hooves & Wheels Miniature Horse Quadrille.
The festival celebrates the era after Mexico won independence from Spain in the early 1800s. The decades that followed were called the Golden Era of California or the Rancho period, a time of peace and prosperity and an economy based on cattle and horses, according to event coordinator Deb Baumann. California residents of the period were called Californios.
Although taking its name from one era, Californio Days is intended to educate, honor and celebrate all aspects of California”s agrarian past, present and future, from the native population to modern day market farmers and the organic, sustainable farming movement, Baumann stated.
Rancho de la Fuente owners Frank and Rosanna Perez look forward to seeing Californio Days grow year after year, with the hopes of eventually expanding the event to include displays of heritage livestock and poultry, demonstrations of country crafts such as spinning wool, leather work, farriers, iron workers, musical entertainment and food, Baumann stated.
Attendees are invited to come to the event wearing costume or clothing from their favorite period of California history.
Anyone interested in volunteering, participating or contributing displays or expertise can call Baumann at 275-9234 or email info@californio.us.
Rancho de la Fuente is located at 2290 Soda Bay Road in Lakeport.
