Presidio Pasados Commemorates the Past

Presidio of San Francisco (June 24, 2003) — The fourth annual Presidio Pasados, a commemoration of the Ohlone, Spanish, Mexican and American cultures that have interwoven through the centuries at the Presidio, begins at 11 am, June 27, and features a 7 pm free concert by Coro Hispano de San Francisco. The festive event takes place at the flagpole outside the historic Officers’ Club.

The Presidio is rich in archaeological resources, from Native American sites dating back more than 1,200 years, through the Spanish and Mexican periods from 1776 to 1846, and continuing through the American period.

Highlighting the evening is a free concert of songs and dances from Early California, brought to life by three of the Bay Area’s best Hispanic and Mexican music ensembles: the voices of Coro Hispano de San Francisco, accompanied by the instruments of Conjunto Nuevo Mundo, with a troupe of twelve dancers from Los Lupeños de San José. Soulful love-songs combine with high-spirited dances in this rich array of music for fiestas and tardeadas as they were celebrated in ranchos throughout Early California.

The schedule of events is as follows:

11a.m.-Noon
Meet descendents of the Anza party, some of the earliest California residents, as they celebrate the “Birthday of San Francisco.” This outdoor program includes costumed horse- mounted riders and an appearance by Anza himself.

1-4 p.m.
An afternoon of children’s activities at the historic Officers’ Club. Musicians and artists, archeologists and historians present El Presidio de San Francisco remembering the peoples who once lived here. Kids hop on the Imagine Bus and go back in time through art. Enjoy music by the Calicanto Singers, with special guest appearances by famous historical figures. Uncover the past with Presidio archeologists!

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
¡Fandango III! Songs and Dances from Hispano-Mexican California. A free concert of song and dance from Early California, performed in the historic Officers’ Club by the Coro Hispano de San Francisco and Conjunto Nuevo Mundo. Founded in 1975, this renowned dual-ensemble of Latin singers and musicians quickly established itself as the Nation’s premiere interpreters of Hispanic and Latin American choral music, combining authenticity of sound with passion in performance. Joining them are three cuadrillas of dancers from Los Lupeños de San José, bringing to life the infectious rhythms and graceful dances of California’s past.

This event is presented by the Presidio Trust, the National Park Service, and Mission Dolores.