In the News

The Swallows Tweet And Now So Does Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano is known for its long and glorious history, but that doesn't mean the Mission isn't up to speed on current trends. Mission San Juan Capistrano is pleased to announce that it is tweeting on Twitter.

As of June 15, the Mission had 125 followers on Twitter, including, among others: OC Report, City of San Juan Capistrano, Girl Scouts of Orange County, Spark OC, KOCE TV, Orange County Parent, Sunset Magazine, Capistrano Valley Newspaper, Capistrano Dispatch Newspaper and The History Channel.

Said Executive Director Mechelle Lawrence-Adams: "It makes good sense for Mission San Juan Capistrano to join Twitter, the online social forum, as a means of communicating its upcoming events and programs. In fact, since the Mission is home to the swallows, it's only right that we start tweeting! For all of us who work here, Twitter is an affordable way to share important and timely information about Orange County's only mission. The Mission will continue to explore, and use, new avenues as they emerge as a means of keeping it relevant, and top of mind for the community."

The Mission continues to have lots to tweet about, with events like Battle of Mariachi, Music Under the Stars, Summer Kids Events, Capistrano Valley Symphony, Villas & Verandas Art Reception and Gallery, St. Joseph's Swallows Day and exhibits such as Gold Fever (opening Oct. 15th).

Follow the Mission tweets on twitter at http://twitter.com/MissionSJC.

3,000 People Watched As "Puno De Oro" Took First Place At Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano held its fifth annual Battle of The Mariachi Festival on Saturday, June 13. This popular event, attended by approximately 3,000 people, was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Thomas J. and Erma Jean Tracy Family Foundation, and featured talented Southern California mariachi bands, which competed for cash prizes before a panel of judges that included mariachi director Alberto "Beto" Jimenez Maeda.

The group "Puno de Oro" won first place and opened that evening's Music Under the Stars concert for the Grammy winning group The Mariachi Divas!

Battle of The Mariachi Festival Winners

The festival also included authentic Mexican food, cultural merchandise, children activities and workshops provided by instructors from Mariachi Academy of Carson.

The event was emceed by Mechelle Adams-Lawrence, Executive Director of the Mission and Gil Sperry, a modern-day Renaissance man and author who delights in entertaining and informing audiences through both the spoken and the written word. He has lectured internationally on subjects ranging from the pragmatic methods for dealing with our energy crisis to the esoterica of how to properly shoot free throws. Sperry lives with his wife, Priscilla, in Baja, where he enjoys the Mexican lifestyle. food, and music.

Disney VoluntEARS were on hand and helped with everything from greeting guests to passing out programs to putting table cloths on more than 100 tables.

Disney Helps Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano is pleased to announce it will receive volunteer assistance from the Disney VoluntEARS for the Mission's events on June 13.

The VoluntEARS will help with everything from greeting guests to passing out programs to putting table cloths on more than 100 tables for the Battle of the Mariachi Bands from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Then during the Music Under The Stars from 3:30-7:30 p.m., the VoluntEARS will pitch in again with similar duties, like assisting with the raffle drawing and cleaning up tables during intermission.

The goal of the Disney VoluntEARS is to develop opportunities for Disneyland Resort cast members and their families to contribute their personal time, expertise and effort to make a positive impact on the community while furthering the ideals of The Walt Disney Company.

Launched in 1992, the Disney VoluntEARS focus efforts primarily on projects benefiting children and families, with other key areas of focus including the support of education, health, the environment, arts and social Service initiatives.

Some of the Disney VoluntEARS accomplishments include contributing nearly 103,717 hours of community service hours through 103 projects, donating 1,037 pints of blood to the American Red Cross during blood drives at the Disneyland Resort, donating more than 12,181 toys to the Toys-for-Tots Foundation, and adopting 91 families, 69 children and 162 seniors as part of the Disney VoluntEARS holiday adopt-a-family program.

Capistrano Valley Symphony Is Back At Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mission San Juan Capistrano is pleased to announce it is bringing back the Capistrano Valley Symphony for a pops concert series beginning May 30 and concluding September 20.

The evening concerts will feature dining to live classic symphony sounds, show tunes and popular music from the 1940s to present day in the scenic Mission courtyard.

Five concert evenings are scheduled beginning at 6:15 p.m. on the following dates: Saturday, May 30 –“Saturday at USO”; Sunday, June 28 –“Orchestra Hit Parade”; Sunday, July 26– “Polished Brass”; Saturday, August 29 –“Dreamy Mid-Summer Night”; and Sunday, Sept. 20–“Tunin’ to TV Land.”

Tickets range in price from $20-$75. For ticket information call (949) 240-8584 or visit capistranovalleysymphony.org.

The Capistrano Valley Symphony is a non-profit organization based in Dana Point and performs throughout Orange County.

Mission San Juan Capistrano's Fifth Annual Battle Of The Mariachis Festival

Mission San Juan Capistrano is getting ready for its annual Battle of the Mariachis Festival on Saturday, June 13 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

This popular event, made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Thomas J. and Erman Jean Tracy Family Foundation, features talented Southern California mariachi bands, which will compete for cash prizes - and more - before a panel of judges to include mariachi director Alberto "Beto" Jimenez Maeda.

The first-place winner also will be invited to be the opening performance for that evening's Music Under the Stars concert for Grammy Winning group The Mariachi Divas!

The festival will include authentic Mexican food, cultural merchandise, children activities and workshops provided by instructors from Mariachi Academy of Carson.

For a detailed listing of events call events hotline at (949) 234-1315 or click here.

Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas! Performing at Mission San Juan Capistrano

Get ready to get your groove on, because the Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas! will be this year's opening concert for Mission San Juan Capistrano's Music Under The Stars Concert Series.

Mission San Juan Capistrano will present seven Music Under The Stars evening concerts beginning with the Mariachi Divas! on Saturday, June 13, and continuing on alternating weekends through Saturday, September 5. The concerts feature dining and dancing to a variety of live music, including Latin and World Music, Motown, Soul and R&B favorites, Pop and Rock. All concerts will be held in the Mission courtyard. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., music begins at 6:30 and ends at 9:30.

Tickets for the Mariachi Divas! are selling out fast. Table tickets range from $30-$40 each with reserved seating available for parties of 6 to 10 guests per table. General admission lawn tickets are $20 for Mission San Juan Capistrano members and $25 for non-members. To purchase tickets call (949) 234-1300 or click here to order online.

Photo courtesy of Val Westover Photography

Mission San Juan Capistrano's Benefit Gala Will Be An Unforgettable Night

Mission San Juan Capistrano is getting set to host its annual can't-miss event, the Romance of the Mission, the benefit gala concert and dinner presented by the Mission Preservation Foundation on Friday the 11th of September. Proceeds from the benefit will go to the much-needed preservation of Orange County's only mission.

The evening will begin with a pre-concert hosted reception at 6 p.m., followed by the Great Stone Church concert at 7 p.m., and dinner, compliments of The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, at 8 p.m.

Benise, who will highlight the evening with his concert performance is armed with his Spanish guitar and an amazing world-class band of musicians, he pushes the boundaries of traditional Flamenco/Spanish guitar.

Also during the evening the Mission Preservation Foundation will honor and celebrate Orange County's Supervisor Pat Bates, whose dedication to Mission San Juan Capistrano has been extraordinary. Bates, who was the first mayor of Laguna Niguel and served four terms, was pivotal in the Mission receiving a $1 million dollar TEA grant to be used for the stabilization of the Great Stone Church, the conservations of the South Wing and the upgrades to the south wing interpretive museum efforts.

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