2006: "Mission San Juan Capistrano will present its annual Return of the Swallows celebration Saturday March 18th to Sunday March 19th, 2006. Festivities include the traditional bell ringing, Pageantry, live entertainment, ethnic foods, and vendors all to mark the springtime return of the swallows to Capistrano.
The Mission's biggest annual celebration, it marks the coming of spring, a time of renewal and rebirth.
Other highlights include Living History Members, scheduled Docent tours, artisans demonstrating crafts, mariachi performers, school choirs and performers, Indian dance groups, ethnic foods and much more.
The swallows migrate annually to Goya, Argentina in October, and return to their spring and summer home in San Juan Capistrano each March. The Swallows celebration began centuries ago when Mission padres observed that the birds return roughly coincided with St. Joseph's Day on the church calendar, March 19. The celebration has achieved international prominence since then."
