Portuguese Historical Center

By Evelyn DaRosa Feliciano

For so many families in our community, the honor of hosting a Festa only comes around once in a lifetime. But for Cristiano and Evelina DaRosa, and their daughter Evelyn Feliciano, they have had the rare opportunity and privilege of hosting both the 75th annual and Centennial Festa’s, now known as San Diego’s Oldest Ethnic Festival. I had the opportunity to sit with Evelyn Feliciano and discuss how being a part of these historical and religious events have impacted her family and the community she calls home.

“ In 1985 my parents Cristiano and Evelina DaRosa had the privilege of being the 75th U.P.S.E.S. Festa Presidents. As their only daughter, I was chosen by them to be Queen. It was an experience that I will never forget and will forever hold dear in my heart. To wear the regal clothing such as the cape and crown, and to be the center of attention is all amazing, however a Queen truly realizes the significance and importance of what is occurring when they are crowned at the High Mass. At least in my experience that is what transpired. Realizing just how blessed I was and what I was representing was overwhelming at that point. Back in the 1980’s my father was a tuna fisherman and was away at sea most of the time. It was left to my mother to plan the Festa, run the household, and raise the children. I thank my parents for instilling in me the realization that although I was born in America and was American, I was Portuguese first and foremost. When I ask my mother of planning the 1985 Festa, she always credits her friend Rita Carvalho with being her “right hand” and helping her every step of the way. A grateful smile appears on her face as she thinks of Rita and all of the love and support she showed our family. I understand why as the same gratefulness overcomes me as I think of my “left”, “right”, “center”; Andrea Calabrese, Dinisa Valadao, and Natalie A. Virissimo. At the 2009 Festa, I was most blessed and honored to become the 100th Festa President, with my daughter Karinna, and son Joshua being the 2010 Centennial Festa Queen and King. As my husband Michael had passed away in 2003, I was much like my mother back in 1984-1985 planning the Festa alone. Once again, that great sense of being a part of history and tradition that I had felt as Queen was intensified and overwhelming as Festa President. Looking back on my parents 1985 Festa President experience and living my own Centennial Festa President experience, I see many similarities and yet many differences. The Festa has developed so much, yet remains the same in many aspects. Maintaining our culture, heritage, and traditions, and in thanksgiving for blessings, while giving back to our Portuguese community of San Diego will always be the underlying factors of why the Festa is celebrated year after year.My parents chose to do the Festa in 1985 due to their strong faith and beliefs. They wanted to give back to their community. I, in 2010, wanted to give thanks to the Holy Spirit for allowing my husband Michael to survive an extra 5 years from his brain cancer and for sparing my life from breast cancer. I wanted to give back to my community for the support they gave my family and I during such difficult times. Being a Festa President is an honor any year. For my family to have the distinction of such significant years in Festa history as both the 75th and 100th is more than words can describe. We are so deeply grateful and privileged. I had participated in the Festa from the young age of 3, but had never involved myself in any other way, that is until 1984. From that point on I became a part of San Diego’s Oldest Ethnic Festival and have never ceased. To see how far our Portuguese community has come and see how much the Festa has developed gives me a sense of pride, a pride that we should all share as a whole. 100 years of existence is extraordinary! The Festa has gone from a simple procession back in 1910 to a tremendous parade in 2010 complete with not only royalty, but also floats, marching bands, and various “themed” groups.
When I was Queen back in 1985, the Festa was celebrated much differently than it is today. The major fundraiser for the Festa, the Annual Fish Fry was held the Friday before the Festa. The bazaar, complete with the food booths, and games was held on Festa Saturday and Festa Sunday. Today in 2010 the Fish Fry is held on the Friday nine days before Festa Sunday and the bazaar has become a 3-day event. Although most of the bazaar remains the same, some things have changed. No longer is cash money used in the booths. Tickets are purchased at the “Ticket Booth” to play games and purchase food. Gone is the “Grocery Booth” when young and old alike would place a dime on a chosen number to win a paper bag full of household necessities such as paper towels, tuna, soda, cake mixes and so on. I remember proudly running back to my parents with my Portuguese – English mix and huge smile exclaiming “Mae e Pai look what I won to take par a casa!” Now there is a general “kids booth” complete with games such as fishing, ring toss, etc. The “Cake Booth” remains and I so enjoy seeing the look on the children’s faces when they run back to their parents much as I did with their prizes of desserts. The food booths have expanded to include much more than the Portuguese staples of linguica and bifanas. They include Portuguese cuisine such as malassadas, favas, and bacalhau. The crowd of “Festa goers” were allowed to circulate, alcohol in hand, anywhere within the U.P.S.E.S. Hall parking lot to socialize, and purchase food. In 2010, due to city and state regulations, the Festa has a “beer garden”, an enclosed area for alcohol purchase and consumption. The celebration of our Portuguese culture is still a major part of the bazaar. Now it not only includes local folkloric dancing and philharmonics but also includes Portuguese groups from neighboring cities to the north.
The Festa parade itself has also changed. In 1985 there were two floats, a 75th Anniversary float and an Our Lady of Fatima Float. In 2010 there were 5 floats, a 100th Centennial float, a Queen Saint Isabel Float, a tuna boat replica float, a float with Past Festa Presidents and Queens, and an all Saints float. We now have visiting Queens from other Portuguese Festas throughout California participate, as well as visiting Philharmonics, local and international dignitaries, and high school marching bands from around San Diego county. Being a religious Festival, gone are the Navy Color Guard, and military bands that participated back in 1985, as there is a separation of church and state. There are many more city and state regulations that the Festa must abide by also. The Festa has also incorporated an American aspect. In 2010, for the first time in history all 5 San Diego social and civic organizations were represented; the Kiwanas Club, The Point Loma Association, the Rotary Club, the Lion’s Club, and the Boy Scouts. Social consciousness was raised such as in the Breast Cancer Awareness group as well as social amusement such as in the Walt Disney Group. The Festa has grown to include many aspects of our Portuguese-American lives. The Festa could not have grown as it has without the support of the entire Portuguese community of San Diego. Although some move away, and marry other ethnic backgrounds, we come together every year for the Festa and to work the bazaar, put the parade on the street, to fundraise, and to participate. We are a family.
As San Diego’s Oldest Ethnic Festival, the U.P.S.E.S. Festa Do Divino Espirito Santo, has grown and expanded, from its inception in 1910 and from as recently as 1985 to today, the underlying meaning and reason for the celebration remains the same. It is a festival in honor of the Holy Spirit, dedicated to Queen Saint Isabel of Portugal, in thanksgiving for blessings bestowed upon us. It is a celebration of our Portuguese culture, heritage, and traditions brought over from the “old country” carried in the hearts of our immigrant ancestors. I can only hope that we continue to instill in our children the same pride that the generations before instilled in us, so that the Festa may continue for another 100 years.”