History
Santa Fe, the historic capital, is one of the oldest in the United States. It was established by Don Juan de Oñate at San Gabriel in 1598 and moved over 30 miles south to the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains where Santa Fe was founded in 1610. In 1680 the Indians revolted, burned the city and drove out the Spanish colonists, who fled to Guadalupe del Paso, now Juarez, Mexico. They rescued from the burning church the 29-inch wood carved Marian statue, La Conquistadora, originally brought to Santa Fe in 1625 by the missionary, Fray Alonso de Benavides.
Don Diego De Vargas
Twelve years later, the King of Spain appointed Don Diego De Vargas to join the exiles in Guadalupe del Paso and organize a campaign for the resettlement of Santa Fe. He accomplished this difficult and remarkable mission on September 4, 1692. In December of the next year, the Indians resisted when De Vargas returned from a trip to recruit more colonists, so he set up an encampment outside the city near the present site of the Rosario Chapel.
The anxious colonist placed La Conquistadora on a makeshift altar and implored her to intercede for the successful re-entry into the town. Before the end of December 1693, De Vargas led his triumphant forces back into the City of the Holy Faith where La Conquistadora was likely enshrined temporarily in the Palace chapel. Crediting the Madonna’s intercession with his victory, De Vargas is said to have vowed restoration of her throne in the parish church built by Fray Benavides in 1692 and destroyed by the Indians in 1680. The General De Vargas died on April 4, 1704 without achieving this goal.
Eight years after the death of De Vargas, Lt. Governor Paez Hurtado who had been one of this Captains and a close friend, influenced city officials to draft a proclamation for an annual celebration commemorating the 1692 resettlement. The 1712 proclamation establishing the first Fiesta de Santa Fe, was signed by Governor Marquez de La Peñuela. The document specified a mass, vespers, and a sermon, thus setting the religious tone still characterizing modern fiestas.
La Conquistadora
La Conquistadora is among the most venerated Marian figures in the world. She was crowned in 1954 by Cardinal Francis Spellman and again in 1960 by an apostolic representative of Pope John XXIII. Her golden crown is studded with precious stones, including a three-carat diamond. Her extensive wardrobe includes an exquisite lace mantilla from Sevilla Spain and an elaborate costume fashioned from ancient French vestments found in the old Cathedral museum. They appear to be of the secular and American periods of Bishop Lamy’s clergy. And so it is that La Conquistadora, a conqueror of hearts, and De Vargas, a conquistador of the new world, join forces to inspire our unique and enduring celebration, la Fiesta de Santa Fe, a time of prayer, rejoicing and hospitality for all.
Historical list: Council Presidents
2022 – 2023 Victor Vigil
2020 – 2021 Aaron Garcia
2018 – 2019 Melissa Mascarenas
2017 Dean Milligan
2015 David Ortiz
2013-2014 Gilbert Romero
2012 Deborah Sparks
2010-2011 Herman Lovato
2008 – 2009 Albert (Gabby) Montoya
2006 – 2007 Dean Milligan
2005 Art Gurule
2003 – 2004 Rudy (Froggy) Fernandez
2002 Antonio (Tony) Lopez
2000 – 2002 Rudy (Froggy) Fernandez
1998 – 1999 Vikki Gurule
1998 Mike Varela
1996 – 1997 Fred Garcia
1995 Cora Archuleta
1993 – 1994 Antonio (Tony) Lopez
1991 – 1992 Rick Berardinelli
1989 – 1990 Louis Gonzales
1987 – 1988 Pat Velarde
1985-1986 Larry Delgado
1983 – 1984 Mike Varela
1981 – 1982 Antonio (Tony) Lopez
1979 – 1980 Faustin Chavez
1977 – 1978 Gilbert Valdez
1975 – 1976 Larry Moya
1974 Bennie Herrera (half year)
1972 – 1973 Bennie Duran
1970 – 1971 Edward Gonzales
1968 – 1969 Joseph E Valdez
1966 – 1967 Alex Padilla
1964 – 1965 Joe Clark
1964 Tony Blea Sr (half year)
1964 George Gonzales (half year)
1953 – 1963 A. B. Martinez Sr. (ten years)
1952 Del Miera (half year)
1951 – 1952 John G Valdez Jr.
1959 – 1950 Preston McGee
1948 Robert L. Cooper
1946 – 1947 A. B. Martinez Sr.
1945 Jose Sena Jr.
1943 – 1944 Fr. Theodosius Meyer
1942 Wayne Mauzy
1940 – 1941 Tony J. Taylor
1939 Col. T.B. Catron
1938 John Gaw Meem
1934 – 1937 O.B. Summers
1933 Dan Kelly Sr.
1931 – 1932 W.W. Nielson
1930 Norman Shenk
1929 Dr. R.O. Brown
1927 – 1928 James McMillan
1924 – 1926 Edgar Hewett
1923 Carl Bishop
1920 – 1922 R.E. Twitchell
Historical list: Don Diego De Vargas
2023 Vincent Isaac Martinez y Hurtado – King
2021 – 2022 Douglas Antonio Nava
2019 Leonard Mike Romero III
2018 Bobby Facundo Trujillo y Aldaz
2017 David Monserrat Jaramillo y Estrada
2016 Daniel Rey Diaz de Rodriguez
2015 Melisendro Dominic Teodoro Gonzales y Ortiz
2014 Thomas Baca y Gutierrez
2013 Jason Jaime Lucero
2012 Lee Anthony Garcia y Dominguez
2011 Andy Lee Lopez
2010 Manuel Garcia
2009 Ernesto Francisco
2008 Anastacio Trujillo
2007 David Trujillo
2006 Jamie Dean
2005 Ernesto Santistevan
2004 Jose Marguez
2003 Ruben Aragon
2002 Jody Oritz
2001 Paul Tapia
2000 Carmichael Dominguez
1999 Tommy Trujillo
1998 Kevin Miller
1997 Carlos Fiero
1996 Sevastian Gurule
1995 Jeremy Rodriguez
1994 Ronald S. Trujillo
1993 Robert Lujan
1992 Peter De Vargas
1991 Gerlado Gonzales
1990 Marcos Tapia
1989 Javier Gonzales
1988 James Rivera
1987 Fernando Rivera
1986 Jose Morfin
1985 Oliver Holmes
1984 Art Gurule
1983 Antonio Ortega
1982 David Pike Romero
1981 Joe Ruiz
1980 David Rodriguez
1979 Christopher Martinez
1978 Orlando Gallegos
1977 Santiago Romero
1976 Joe Roybal
1975 Alex Castellano
1974 Antonio “Tony Lopez”
1973 Tino Chavez
1972 Gilbert Mares
1971 Carlos Gallegos
1970 Gilbert Martinez
1969 David Segura
1968 Rudy “Froggy” Fernandez
1967 Phillip Trujillo
1966 Arturo Jaramillo
1965 Isidro Gonzales
1964 Larry Moya
1963 E.J. Martinez Jr.
1962 Jose Gonzales
1961 George Gonzales
1960 Fernando Delgado
1959 Fred Garcia
1958 Edmundo Delgado
1957 A.B. Martinez Jr.
1956 Alex Padilla
1955 Edward Moya Jr.
1954 Benny Chavez
1953 Frank Gomez
1952 Benny Padilla
1951 Sen.Joseph M. Montoya
1950 Pete Gabaldon
1949 Bennie Salazar
1948 Meliton Sandoval
1944 Robert Valdez
1943 John G. Valdez Jr.
1941 J. Alfonso Armijo
1938-39 Herman Baca
1933 Marcelino Apodaca
1929 Co. Jose D. Sena
1921 Capt. Emory Moore
Historical list: La Reina (Fiesta Queen)
2023 Jamie-Rae Lynn Salas de Diaz
2021 – 2022 Christina Isabel Lovato – Perea
2019 Elise Elaina Lopez y Leyba
2018 Katherine Elizabeth Garcia y Arellano
2017 Hope Andrea Quintana
2016 Brittany Ana Maria Sandoval y Romero
2015 Shay Nikole Lara y Mares
2014 Carmelita Roybal y Gurule
2013 Kristy Ojinaga y Borrego
2012 Jenae Monique Cisneros y Roybal
2011 Samantha Tapia y Olguin
2010 Danielle Renee Chavez y Romero
2009 Victoria Felicea Mora & Sanchez
2008 Angelica Marie Armijo
2007 Theresa Maria Catalina Rodriguez
2006 Jessica Ann Librada Lucero y Lucero de Godoy
2005 Jennifer Richardson y Garcia
2004 Vanessa Melanie CdeBaca
2003 Michelle Padilla
2002 Monica E. Gallegos y Trujillo-Padilla
2001 Vanessa M. Gallegos-Bibiano
2000 Vanessa L. Mascarenas
1999 Elizabeth R. Lovato
1998 Donna M. Barela-Gurule
1997 Elena M. Chavez-Tercero
1996 Reyna Garcia
1995 Marlene Acosta
1994 Carolee J. Friday-Santistevan
1993 Amanda Sue Quintana-Bowles
1992 Contessa Aragon-Serna
1991 Donna Marie Garcia-Lesher
1990 Jennifer Juliet Manzanares-Herrera
1989 Elizabeth Davidson-Arellano
1988 Loretta Madrid-Rael
1987 Maria A. Baca-Markham
1986 Bernadette M. Ortega
1985 Valerie Medrano-Garcia
1984 Anna Marie Ortiz-Gonzales
1983 Karmella Borrego-Gonzales
1982 Anna Elena Tapia
1981 Donita Sena
1980 Elizabeth Angela Roybal
1979 Charlene A. Lopez-Clayton
1978 Linda Marie Romero-Esquibel
1977 Deborah K. Romero-Borrego
1976 Maria Diana Sanchez-Gonzales
1975 Diana Maria Alvarez
1974 Carla Yolanda Aragon
1973 Karmella M. Pacheco Miera
1972 Linda Marie Borrego
1971 Elizabeth C. Rivera-Gonzales
1970 Matilde M. Herrera-Perez
1969 Juanita Theresa Gonzales-Ortega
1968 Lorencita Elizabeth Abeyta
1967 Maria Cordelia Martinez
1966 Rosa Marie Romero-Sanchez
1965 Maria Isabel Martinez-Sandoval
1964 Yolanda Maria Pacheco Hodgson
1963 Maria Montoya-Rigg
1962 Antonio Loyola Lucero-Pacheco
1961 Maria Irene Lucille Lopez
1960 Sylvia Carillo
1959 Sylvia Roybal de Onis
1958 Mary Ester Garcia-Bertram
1957 Maria Ida Sanchez
1956 Angelina Eloisa Ortiz
1955 Roberto “Bobbi” Quintana-Gallegos
1954 Angelina Oyaca-Koontz
1953 Christella Romero-Noedel
1952 Maria Rosina Casados-Schutz
1951 Jean Gutierrez-Rodriguez
1950 Maria Pino-Ortiz
1949 Anita Romero-Jones
1948 Elizabeth “Betty” Serna-Cardenas
1947 Pauline Padilla-Martinez
1946 Lucy Romero-Chavez
1945 Maria Socorro Lopez-Garcia
1944 Consuelo “Peaches” Alarid-Collins
1943 Pita Tapia-Gonzales
1942 Natividad Quintana-Chilester
1941 Clarita “Clara” Garcia
1940 “Cuca” Romero-Gonzales
1939 Mary CdeBaca-Ulibarri
1938 Reynalda Ortiz-Pino-Dinkel
1936-37 Orlinda P. Rodriguez
1934 Lecha Delgado
1933 Maria Isabel Sena
1927 Amalia Sena-Sanchez
Santa Fe Fiesta Song
One of the most notable sounds of Santa Fe Fiesta is the Fiesta Song.
Santa Fe Fiesta Song (Spanish)
Music by Billy Palau, Spanish Lyrics by Johnny Valdes, Jr.
Santa Fe, tus fiestas de Septiembre
Se Celebran en la capital
Con Zozobra quemando las penas
Ya kas fiestas van a comenzar
Tus mujeres llenas de alegria
Pregonando van su nuevo amor
A a luz de grandes luminarias
Van cantando con placer esta cancion
Si Senor, como nom, vamonos al vacilon
A bailar y gozar de esta linda poblacion
Santa Fe Fiesta Song (English)
Msuic by Billy Palau, English Lyrics by Avalee Turner.
In old Santa Fe we have La Fiesta
‘Tis the time for singing, dance and play
On this day we do not take la siesta
While Zozobra burns the gloom away
Steel guitars are softly strumming music
Senorita, come along with me
Luminarias all are shining brightly
At the baile, fancy costumes you will see
Si Senor, como no, let’s go out and have some fun
And we’ll see Santa Fe in Conquistadores way