Pozole, Churros, and a Whole Lot of Confetti: Fiesta Lives On at Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, home to unofficial, long-standing Fiesta week celebrations, was brimming with activity and authentic Mexican food late Saturday afternoon, August 8.

Pozole was first on the agenda, with a bustling station overseen by Carmen and Manuel. At the cashier window, an attendee said the same recipe has been used for years, with the day’s preparation beginning at 4 a.m. and the pozole simmering for roughly five hours.

The Rios family, born and raised in Santa Barbara, were thrilled with their fresh churros in hand and their feeling that “Fiestas is back.” After attending Fiesta week gatherings at Our Lady of Guadalupe for many years, they said they noticed an increased presence from the local community this year. They attributed the turnout to a collective longing for unity and joy after having “been through a lot.”

Cheers erupted from lotería games, and children scooped handfuls of confetti from the ground to redistribute it back into the air and onto one another’s heads. Couples pulled each other onto the dance floor, where rotating dance groups and musical performers took the stage. The sense of togetherness and tradition was as palpable as the balmy heat-wave air.

Outside the church, volunteers with 805 Undocufund and SBResiste staffed tables, sharing information including how to report ICE sightings. Extra precautions were also being taken to patrol the neighborhood surrounding the church.

One volunteer reported that earlier that morning, an ICE vehicle had been spotted nearby in the parking lot of Winchell’s Donut House. Details about the sighting were unclear, but the volunteers’ intent to patrol the area and protect families enjoying their “Fiestas” was unmistakable.