(left to right): Outgoing senior dignitaries Jim and Pamela Schuler,2014 Grand Marshal Jim Curwood and the 2014 Senior Dignitaries Deborah and James Valgean
Jim Curwood, longtime owner of San Juan Capistrano-based Buy My Bikes will serve as grand marshal for the 2014 Swallows Day Parade on Saturday, March 22. Other dignitaries are James and Deborah Valgean serving as Senior San Juan and Ms. Fiesta and junior dignitaries selected by the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center include Brad Marshall as Jr. Senor San Juan and Courtney Yacovone as Jr. Miss Fiesta.
Curwood purchased Orange County Cyclery on Camino Capistrano in 1978. Now known more commonly as Buy My Bikes, “Bicycle Jim” is a passionate business leader in the San Juan Capistrano community and a longtime supporter of the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association and numerous local nonprofit organizations. He’s donned his famous bee costume and entered the Swallows Day Parade for the majority of the 35 years.
Upon being selected as grand marshal Curwood said, “I am both proud and humbled to serve as the parade’s grand marshal and feel it is a great priority to preserve the parade that represents our city’s great tradition and pride of the community.”
Senior San Juan and Ms. Fiesta James and Deborah have collectively been involved with the Fiesta Association and Swallows Day Parade for over 30 years. The San Juan Capistrano residents are involved with several other local causes and very much look forward to serving as the 2014 senior dignitaries.
The 2014 Jr. Dignitaries were selected by the nonprofit J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano. Jr. Senor San Juan is Brad Marshall, a Shea Center client for the past 16 years. The 26 year old Laguna Hills resident works at Zoomars. Jr. Miss Fiesta is Shea Center client Courtney Yacovone. She is 16 years old and lives in Mission Viejo with her parents.
Both have been parade participants in the Shea Center’s entry for many years and look forward to serving in their new roles.
The grand marshal and dignitaries will ride among 120 parade entries featured in the 56th Swallows Day Parade in downtown San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, March 22, 2014.
For more information about the Swallows Day Parade or the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association, call 949.493.1976 or visit www.swallowsparade.org.
About the Fiesta de las Golondrinas and the San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association
The Fiesta de Las Golondrinas is tied to the legendary return of the swallows to the Mission San Juan Capistrano on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19th. The square-tailed cliff swallows spend the summer in San Juan Capistrano and leave in late October to travel 6000 miles for a winter in Goya, Argentina.
The San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association is an all-volunteer organization that manages and produces the annual Swallows Day Parade and other Fiesta de las Golondrinas events throughout the year. A nonprofit, nonpolitical organization, the Fiesta Association is led by a board of directors and is entirely self-funded through donations and various fundraising activities.
Barbara Kimler, San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association
