LAKEPORT >> Record-sized crowds atteneded the third annual Californio Days at Rancho de la Fuente. The event was held on June 12.
Festivities kicked off with the Fiesta of the Horse, a two-hour showcase. There were a dozen different acts, including the Hooves & Wheels Quadrille, Lago Claro Peruvian Pasos, Cowboy Mounted Shooting and the Bennett Family Gypsy Horses, plus new additions from the California Dressage Society and White Dog Ranch in Potter Valley. This “Fiesta” marks the debut performance from Lake County’s newest drill team, Random Chaos.
Singer Irma Lopez entertained throughout the Fiesta, and following the show, the audience had food from Susie Q’s and visited with traditional craftspeople and historic experts such as Bill Eaton of the California Map Society.
At 2 p.m., focus shifted to inside the barn, where singers with the Red Voices Intertribal Drum provided an introduction to the afternoon program. They were followed by traditional Pomo dancers from Big Valley, organized by Jojo MacLeod, who encouraged the entire audience to join the dance.
Dr. John Parker provided background notes for a special screening of the locally produced documentary, “A Walk Through Time, The Story of Anderson Marsh,” which tells the history of 20,000 years of human habitation in the Clear Lake area.
Hundreds of photos from the June 12 event, both the morning and afternoon program, can be viewed at http://www.californio.us
The intertribal and Pomo contributions enhanced and expanded Californio Days’ mission of providing “Edu-tainment” (history education and entertainment combined). Event producer Deb Baumann looks forward to seeing Californio Days expand with involvement from more groups and individuals in Lake County that are devoted to California history, traditional arts and crafts, or agricultural heritage.
In fact, when asked if she would consider altering the event’s name from “Californio” Days (a period of time in the 1800s) to “California” Days, Baumann gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up. “Absolutely, yes. My personal passion is the Californio period, but we want this event to showcase other aspects of California history and culture. If all it takes is changing one letter, to make the event feel more inclusive, count me in.”
Baumann will be giving a lecture and slideshow presentation on the Californio period and its cultural and racial diversity on July 10 at 2 p.m. in the barn at Rancho de la Fuente. Admission is free but RSVP is requested at (707) 275-9234.
