Hoos'gow Day - Follow the Swallows part 2

Another quirky Swallow's Day tradition in San Juan Capistrano is Hoos'gow Day. On the Friday before the Swallow's Parade the city celebrates its western heritage by dressing in period clothing and recreating, for a day, the wild west feel of the late 1800s. If you're not prepared, you'll be thrown into the Hoos'gow!

The self-appointed Sheriff and his deputies roam the town looking for anyone not dressed in western wear and any man who is clean shaven. If you're found, its into the portable pokey for you until you make bail (a donation to the Fiesta Assocation).

This year, the City is celebrating its 50th Swallow's Day parade. Each year in March, the swallows complete their 7,500 mile migration northward from Goya, Argentina, through Paraguay, across the Andes, to the Yucatan and then northwestward along Baja California into the region around San Juan Capistrano. In the fall the make the return trip, thus completing a 15,000 mile annual migration. If you're flying towards San Juan Capistrano, you'll take the more usual route through John Wayne Airport to the north or Palomar airport to the south. See previous posts about great places to rest on the South Orange County Pacific Coast.


If you happen to be in San Juan Capistrano tomorrow for Hoos'gow Day don't be alarmed if a group of bandits burst into the store or restaurant with guns blazing (blanks, of course) demanding all the cash from the safe. After the merchant turns over the loot (which is actually gold foil wrapped chocolates in a net bag), there's usually some candy left over for the young 'uns.

The evening of Hoos'gow Day is considered by locals to be the best fun of the weekend before the hoards of tourists descend on Saturday for the parade. The Friday night atmosphere in town is truly old-west and friendly, and unique among towns in "the OC."

Photo credit to the SJC Fiesta Association; for more information click here.