Meet the contestants for Fiesta de Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Fiesta Council will select the individuals who will portray Don Diego de Vargas and La Reina de la Fiesta de Santa Fe on Tuesday at its annual selection event.
Each year, the Fiesta Council holds a contest in which men and women compete for the roles. The contestants will be judged on both an Englishand Spanish-language speech and an interview on their knowledge of historical events surrounding the fiesta.
The annual Fiesta de Santa Fe marks de Vargas’ return to Santa Fe in 1692 following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
The selection will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. Admission is free and doors open at 6:30 p.m.
The 309th Santa Fe Fiesta will be held Sept. 4-12 at the Santa Fe Plaza.
Two are competing for the role of de Vargas. They are:
◆ Douglas Antonio Nava, 46, an administrative coordinator with Santa Fe BMW and a member of the Spanish Colonial Society.
◆ Martin Leonardo “Martine” Roybal Jr., 44, retired and a member of Santa Fe Fiesta, Inc.,
Los Caballeros de Vargas and La Cofradía de la Conquistadora.
Four women vying for the role of La Reina de la Fiesta de Santa Fe. They are:
◆ Adrianna Montoya y Peña, 26, a sixth grade teacher at Gonzales Community School and the freshman girls’ basketball coach at Capital High School.
◆ Christina Lovato-Perea,
35, a doctoral student at Aspen University, where she is working on a doctorate of education in leadership and learning. She works for the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico as its outreach bureau chief.
◆ Kristine Marie Briceño-Roybal, 26, a longtime Girl Scouts Troop leader and a cheer coach for Chaparral Elementary School. She works at Guadalupe Credit Union.
◆ Julianne Manzanares y Herrera, a mother of a young girl who is sponsored by State Employees Credit Union.
The man ultimately selected as de Vargas will receive his sword and medallion Saturday during a pre-fiesta show at the Plaza. The event will begin at 4 p.m.
Both La Reina and de Vargas will be knighted and crowned during a ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday at 2 p.m. at Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi.