–Free Event Every Saturday in July and August in Old Town —

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is celebrating travel and transportation in the era of real horsepower during “Stagecoach Days” kicking off on July 5. Come join in the old fashioned fun from the mid-1800s from noon to 5 p.m. on eight Saturdays in July and August.

Sponsored by Fiesta de Reyes, the free event features a different theme each Saturday such as: Days of the Vaqueros, Women of the West, Soldiers and Citizens, TwainFest and Taste of the Past.

Attendees will enjoy afternoons filled with activities that reflect life in early San Diego and celebrate the West on the move. Through living history activities and demonstrations, stories and songs, visitors will gain an appreciation for early modes of transportation and daily life. All activities are geared toward children and adults of all ages.

“This year’s Stagecoach Days will be the best in our park’s history,” stated Event Coordinator Gregg Giacopuzzi. “We have added many more family friendly activities to the event this year so visitors will get a true taste of what Old Town was like in the 1800s.”

This year also marks the 150th anniversary of California State Parks. As part of the statewide celebration, special commemorative aspects will be added to Stagecoach Days.

The Stagecoach Days schedule is as follows:

July 5 – “Games and Amusements” — Play is perhaps the most universal social activity, and games are among the oldest recorded institutions. Traditional games and amusements of the 1800s featured including egg races, tug of war, croquet, contra dance, and circus performers.

July 12 — “Trades That Shaped Westward Expansion” — As towns developed in the West so did the need for specialized trades and artisans. Old Town San Diego will present pivotal 19th century trades that helped shape the community of San Diego.

July 19– “Women of the West” — Women played an important part in the development of the West. Some of their daily activities will be demonstrated on this Saturday. One of the highlights of the day will be a quilt walk that features quilts celebrating the 150th Anniversary of California State Parks.

July 26 — “Soldiers and Citizens” — The military has been part of San Diego since its inception. Following the Mexican American War, dragoons, the Mormon Battalion and the Boundary Commission all had an impact on life in San Diego.

August 2 — “Taste of the Past” — What we eat, how we acquire it, who prepares it, how it is prepared are part of our cultural make up. This day will explore what was part of the dining experiences for people in early San Diego. While you learn about the foods of the past you will be able to sample modern tastes that evoke that time provided by the food purveyors in the park.

August 9 – “Days of the Vaquero” – Vaqueros were the first cowboys in California. Highly skilled horsemen and cattle herders, they were an integral part of the early cattle trade in California. The day will celebrate their natural horsemanship techniques and other aspects of Californio culture.

August 16 – “TwainFest” – This wildly popular festival celebrates literacy and the literary works of Mark Twain and other 19th-century authors. Excerpts from famous works will be presented by costumed San Diego actors at a variety of park venues throughout the day.

August 23 –“West on the Move” — The California Gold Rush brought thousands of people to San Diego. Some stayed, many more pasted through seeking their fortunes up north. Today, California State Parks will present demonstrations and activities that were part of the lives of these people on the move.

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, with the support of the Boosters of Old Town and donation from Fiesta de Reyes, is proud to offer these free activities for adults and children of all ages. The park is located on San Diego Avenue and Twiggs Street in San Diego, and is conveniently located next to the Old Town Transit Center, with Coaster, Trolley, and MTS bus service. Free parking is available at the CalTrans headquarters, just two blocks from the park at 4050 Taylor St.

For more information, go to http://www.parks.ca.gov/oldtownsandiego or call (619) 220-5422.

— Party all weekend long at Fiesta de Reyes —

Old Town’s Fiesta de Reyes is the place to be this weekend to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! Guests can enjoy live musical entertainment and ‘colorful’ drink specials May 3 to 5.

Both Fiesta de Reyes restaurants, Barra Barra Saloon and Casa de Reyes, will be offering drink specials throughout the weekend. The menu will spotlight a “$7 shot and beer” special which features a choice of Dos Equis Lager or Amber and choice between a shot of Frida Kahlo blanco, Herradura blanco, or El Jimador blanco.

Fiesta de Reyes will provide a special drink menu to revelers that pays tribute to the colors of the Mexican flag. Dubbed the “Colors of Cinco” trio, these drinks come in red, white and green.

The Rojo Margarita is made with Frida Kahlo blanco tequila, pomegranate juice, agave nectar, lime juice, and sweet & sour. The Blanco Margarita features Herradura blanco tequila, agave nectar, lime juice, soda water, and orange liqueur and the Verde Margarita is made with El Jimador blanco tequila, agave nectar, melon liqueur, lime juice, and sweet & sour.

If your birthday falls in the month of May, May 5 will be extra special as Barra Barra offers Cinco de Mee-yo, where guests with a May birthday will receive a free entrée, up to a $12 value.

Some of the live entertainment offered on the Fiesta de Reyes stage during the weekend includes Latinova, who will be playing Latin jazz music, the Los Rios Mariachi band, and folklorico dancing. The entertainment schedule is as follows:

Saturday, May 3rd
Fiesta de Reyes stage:
11:30-3:30 Folklórico Dancing
4:00-7:30 Los Rios Mariachi Fusion
8:00-12:00 Latinova (Luis Max)
Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel:
1:00-5:30 Antonio (Flamenco Guitar)
6:00-9:00 Plow (bluegrass)

Sunday, May 4th
Fiesta de Reyes stage:
11:00-3:00 Folklórico Dancing
3:30-6:30 Mariachi Divinas
6:30-10:30 Rockariachi
Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel:
3:00-6:00 Tom Corbett (bluegrass)
6:30-9:00 Antonio (Flamenco Guitar)
Monday, May 5th
Fiesta de Reyes stage:
2:00-5:00 Mariachi Divinas
5:00-8:30 Tres Amigos
9:00-midnight Luis Max & Blue Moon
Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel:
6:00-9:00 Big Bad Rooster (bluegrass)

For more information about Cinco de Mayo, visit http://www.oldtownsandiegoguide.com/cinco.html. For more information about activities at Fiesta de Reyes, visit http://www.oldtownmexicanfood.com/.

This Saturday (Feb. 22) is National Margarita Day! Celebrate with half-off house margaritas all day at Casa de Reyes and Barra Barra Saloon!

Two per person. Excludes Pitchers.

Fiesta de Reyes’ two authentic Mexican restaurants, Casa de Reyes and Barra Barra Saloon, are offering special menus from Thursday, Feb. 13, to Saturday, Feb 15, to celebrate the most romantic holiday of the year. Served all day, the prix fixe menu includes a shared appetizer, entrée, and shared dessert all for the cost of $24.95 per couple.

Valentine’s day will be sweet this year!

“Executive Chef Jose Pulido has come up with the perfect sweet-yet-spicy menu for guests to treat their special someone this Valentine’s Day,” stated Fiesta de Reyes Owner and Operator Chuck Ross. “With our cozy fire pits and under-the-stars dining, guests won’t be disappointed by the old-world, romantic atmosphere that Fiesta de Reyes provides.”

To start your three-course meal, Casa de Reyes offers a choice between shrimp empanadas with smoked Gouda cheese or chorizo y rajas queso fundido. Barra Barra Saloon will offer crab cakes con salsa de chipotle or chicken mole poblano skewers.

Guests will be able to enjoy delicious entrees at the flagship Casa de Reyes restaurant such as chipotle shrimp-stuffed sea bass, blackened chicken skewer salad and raviolis con carne.  Barra Barra Saloon will be serving up carne asada con chimichurri, chipotle gorgonzola cream chicken or sea bass con rajas.
The dessert at both restaurants is a choice of marbled cheesecake with a chocolate-dipped strawberry or warm churros with a chocolate drizzle.

To make reservations, call 619-291-3200 for Barra Barra Saloon and 619-220-5040 for Casa de Reyes.

Fiesta de Reyes is located at Juan and Calhoun streets, a one-block stroll from the Old Town Trolley Station. In addition to the Casa de Reyes restaurant and Barra Barra Saloon, the plaza boasts 19 specialty shops and the Cosmopolitan Restaurant and Hotel. For more information, visit http://www.oldtownmexicanfood.com.

Between Dec. 26 and 31, visitors to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park are encouraged to “come for the gingerbread houses and stay for the bonfires” as winter nights are celebrated in the park.

More than 20 shops and museums in the state park are participating in the gingerbread tour. This is the third year in a row that the merchants in the state park have collaborated to create one-of-a-kind gingerbread houses, some as replicas of historic buildings, some made with creative ingredients found within the store, some true gingerbread concoctions created by pastry chefs.

Maps can be found at the various merchants in the park as well as the Robinson-Rose Visitor’s Center. Maps can also be downloaded at www.oldtownmexicanfood.com.  The houses will be on display from now until Jan. 1.

After touring the gingerbread houses, visitors are invited to roast s’mores around the bonfire in the middle of the state park, sponsored by Fiesta de Reyes.

Starting at dusk, join carolers and other performers from until 9 p.m.

Both events are family friendly and free-of-charge.  Fiesta de Reyes and Old Town San Diego State Park Merchants Association are sponsoring these events. There is free parking available in the Caltrans parking lot on Taylor Street in Old Town after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. For more information, visit www.oldtownmexicanfood.com or call 619-297-3100.

— New Tracks Will Be Debuted at Launch Party on Friday —

This Friday, Luis Max & Blue Moon will host a special celebration at Fiesta de Reyes from 6 to 9 p.m. to commemorate the release of their highly anticipated album, “Azul.”

The 12-track compilation features cover songs and original works. Luis Max & Blue Moon describe their sound as “New Flamenco,” which is a fusion of Latin, pop, rock, jazz and blues. The album will be available for purchase and specially priced at this event, and band members will make themselves available to sign them.

“Give the gift of music this holiday season”, says Luis Max. “We have worked so hard on this album over the past two years and we are excited to finally offer it to our fans”.

Luis Max & Blue Moon entertains at Fiesta de Reyes every Friday night. Free parking is available all day in and around the state park as well as in the Caltrans parking lot on Taylor Street on the weekends. For more information call 619-297-3100 or visit www.oldtownmexicanfood.com.

 -Celebrate the Season in 1800s-style with Family-Friendly Events All Weekend —

Bonfires, piñata parties, gingerbread houses, the 63rd-annual Las Posadas procession and other holiday-themed activities will bring a festive air to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park during the second weekend of December.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, Old Town San Diego State Historic Park hosts Holiday in the Park. All of the museums, stores and restaurants in the park will be open and richly decorated. Guests will enjoy special holiday treats, activities and extended shopping hours, along with strolling carolers until 8:30 p.m. Special holiday hay rides will be also offered by horse-drawn carriage around the park until dusk.

Attendees will have the chance to see more than 20 gingerbread houses spread throughout Old Town San Diego State Historic Park shops and museums. The park will be offering tours of the most impressive creations at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. Visitors should meet at the Robinson-Rose Visitor Center 15 minutes before the tour is scheduled.  The tour will conclude with a live performance of Hansel and Gretel by state park interpretative staff in the newly restored schoolhouse.

The highlight of the event will be the “Winter Workshop,” formerly the El Fandango Restaurant, which will feature crafts such as cornucopias, wrapped peanuts, popcorn-cranberry garland making, and dried fruit decorations from noon to 4 p.m.  The Wells Fargo Museum will also be hosting a free letter-writing station where people of all ages can send a letter to anyone, including Santa Claus.

Saturday night will be capped off with a crackling bonfire in the middle of the park with free s’mores and hot chocolate, sponsored by Fiesta de Reyes. Carolers dressed in period attire will lead the crowd in a traditional sing-a-long of holiday songs around the fire until 9 p.m.

The beloved Las Posadas procession is hosted on Sunday, Dec. 15. This centuries-old tradition is being celebrated in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park for the 63rd consecutive year.  The Park Merchants Association and Write Out Loud reenact the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph through the town of Bethlehem.  The event begins at 2 p.m. with a musical pre-show in the state park, with the live theatrical procession starting promptly at 5 p.m.  A piñata party, sponsored by RUST General Store and Wallach and Goldman, and bonfire, sponsored by Fiesta de Reyes, will follow at 6 p.m.  

Fiesta de Reyes, Old Town San Diego State Park, Write Out Loud, and the Old Town Historic State Park Merchants Association are sponsoring these events. There is free parking available in the Caltrans parking lot on Taylor Street in Old Town all day on weekends. For more information about any of these events, visit oldtownmexicanfood.com or call 619-297-3100.

Nothing says Christmas time like homemade tamales. Barra Barra Saloon is offering a special tamale menu to get your family in the holiday spirit. The menu features holiday tamale favorites such as brisket, chorizo con papas, rajas con crema, seafood and shrimp, and chile colorado. Sweet dessert tamales are also available in strawberry with raisins, or pineapple and roasted coconut with vanilla and walnuts. Each tamale is $2.50 and a dozen can be ordered for $24. Call 619-297-3100 to order yours today.