La Fiesta

As far as we can tell, "La Fiesta" came to being in 1926. An article from the Garden City newspaper dated September 1926 stated "...at about 10 am, a procession of cars loaded with Mexican people and decorated in the national colors of Mexican and of the United States passed up Seventh Street..." to commemorate Mexico's Independence from Spain. A number of people came from Lamar, Granada & Holly, Colorado; they also came from Syracuse, Lakin, Cimarron and Dodge City, Ks. During that time, there were two different groups, the Honorary Mexican Commission and the Mutual Society of Benito Juarez, that each celebrated the Mexican Fiesta in their own manner.

 

The first Fiesta Queen, Dolores Avila, was introduced in 1929 and it was believed that the two-day event began at that time. Some of the activities progressed and included the raising of the American and Mexican flags in "la colonia Mexicana", the parade, the crowning of the queen, folkloric dancing, ball games and rifas (raffles). In 1968, the Fiesta Committee started to set aside some of its funds for scholarships for Mexican-American students. The first recipients were Albert Bribiesca and Elaine Munoz.

 

The early Fiesta Committees went through some rough times in gaining acceptance of an annual Fiesta celebration; but a determined people with pride and respect in themselves kept "el espiritu de la Fiesta viva en cada uno de nosotros." Although it began as two different celebrations, the ideals each group pursued were basically the same and from these ideals became a community celebration for all to enjoy and share in the rich and proud culture of the Mexican people.

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The annual Community Mexican Fiesta celebration is the result of a dedicated group of individuals called the Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta Association who, with the help of many people, businesses and foundations in and around this community, tiene el orgullo de llamarnos "Mexicanos", and we proudly present this annual celebration to our community.