Peñasco Fiesta celebrated over Father’s Day weekend
Peñasco is gearing up for the community’s annual fiesta Thursday through Sunday ( June 14-17).
The event is hosted by the Martinez family at the Martinez Hall and grounds. The fiesta will feature a royal court, a carnival, game booths, food, live music and more, according to Mary Mascareñas, one of the fiesta organizers.
“The fiestas have always been dedicated to people who help make our celebrations a special event,” she said. “This year we will remember Mike Ewens, husband of Lydia Martinez, for his love of the Peñasco-Llano area. Mike was a very caring member of our parish community.”
Ewens passed away in May. “He always looked forward to the day they could come from California and enjoy their home in Llano and be present for the Fiestas,” Mascareñas said. “He will be missed.”
The Fiesta Queen this year will be Joleen Romero, a senior at Peñasco High School. She is the daughter of the late Leroy Romero and Julia Romero from Río Lucio. Joleen Romero served as Senior Princess from 2014-2015. She has been a member of the Peñasco High School cross country and basketball teams.
Her favorite subject in school is math. She plans to attend college and become an attorney. The Knights of Columbus will sell their popular green chile burgers while other vendors will have other goodies available.
Crowning Romero during Fiestas will be the 2017 Fiesta Queen Bianca Contreras from Río Lucio. Contreras is a senior at Peñasco High School. She loves all sports and is a member of the winning girl’s basketball team. She plans to attend college and become an anesthesiologist. She is the daughter of Jose and Dolores Contreras from Río Lucio.
Mireya Sanchez will serve again as the Senior Princess. She will be a seventh-grader at Taos Middle School and participated as a cheerleader in this year’s state competition. She was part of the High Altitude Athletics program for several years and received many medals during that time. Her parents are Jerry Sanchez and Sasha from Río Lucio.
Marisol Maestas is this year’s Junior Princess. She is enrolled at the Peñasco Elementary School as a third grader. She is the daughter of Ashley Maestas from Peñasco.
The Queen Court will attend Mass at 7 p.m. Saturday (June 16) at St. Anthony’s Church in Peñasco. They will go to Martinez Hall for the Marcha afterward.
The parade begins at noon Sunday ( June 17). Participants are to gather at the Peñasco school grounds no later than 11 a.m. Gates open at 8 a.m. People riding horses are asked to wait near the New Mexico Department of Transportation office. Floats should be parked near the east gate close to the U.S. Forest Service building. All classic cars should park across from the school administration building.
“We invite everyone to come and celebrate this historical celebration,” Mascareñas said in a statement. “We love our communities and are proud of all the accomplishments by all who make things happen.”