On a brisk Sunday morning in mid-June, the steps in front of the 7th Street entrance to Mary Star of the Sea Church were filled with royalty when more than a dozen past Mary Star fiesta queens gathered in honor of the annual event’s 75th anniversary.
It was a rare gathering of the queens, usually reserved for major anniversaries like the one this month, as the Mary Star of the Sea Parish Fiesta celebrates its Diamond Jubilee July 21-23, making it one of the longest-running annual events in San Pedro.
What San Pedrans know today as a weekend filled with carnival rides, great food, and family fun, began as a small barbeque fundraiser on July 20, 1947, when Mary Star’s Monsignor George M. Scott organized a fundraiser to build their new church, currently located on Eighth Street.
Originally titled Barbeque and Fiesta, the inaugural one-night-only event was held at Royal Palms Grove and was strictly a barbecue with live music and dancing. There were no carnival rides or games, no raffle, and no Fiesta Queen. (That would begin the following year.) Still, the fundraiser was a huge success and has grown significantly through the years to become the annual three-day carnival it is today.
Since its beginning, the fiesta has been Mary Star Parish’s largest fundraising event. Proceeds raised help support the parish ministries and overall maintenance. In the past, the parish has also shared funds with Mary Star Elementary and Mary Star High School.
This year, the parish hopes to meet their fundraising goals as they pull out all the stops for the Diamond Jubilee, including offering $20,000 in cash prizes through their famous raffle.
Adding to the festivities, three candidates are vying to be crowned the Diamond Jubilee’s Fiesta Queen. Andrea Gonzalez, Emily Ramirez, and Ella Stone have been busy raising money through raffle tickets and bake sales for weeks. One of them will be awarded the crown on Sunday, July 23, at 7:30 p.m. spt
The 75th Annual Mary Star of the Sea Parish Fiesta begins Friday, July 21, 5p to midnight and is open Saturday, July 22, noon to midnight, and Sunday, July 23, noon to 10p. Admission is free. For more information on the event, including bingo, auditorium dinners, family day, raffle prizes, and more, visit marystar.org/fiesta.
This story includes additional reporting by Caitlyn Piercy.
COMPLETE LIST OF MARY STAR FIESTA QUEENS
1948 Geraldine G. Viovich
1949 Anna Mae Galante
1950 Thelma Dobbs
1951 Yvonne Jeldum Cardick
1952 Joanne Zorich Califano
1953 Rachel Lucich Kordich
1954 Barbara Gomes
1955 Doris Munson Rich
1956 Patricia Wiley-Lowe
1957 Rose Marie Rivera Regan
1958 Nina Trutanich Hixon
1959 Connie Calise Crvarich
1960 Marie Mascola Doss
1961 Catherine Pilato Rodriguez
1962 Mary Margaret Chenoweth Lorenzi
1963 Marie Calise Adamson
1964 Alana Binns Mikulaco
1965 Lucretia Buda Barbieri
1966 Jeanette Gargas Barlett
1967 Annette Patalano Vistica
1968 Patsy Trish Lynch Williams
1969 Bernadette Guerra Padovan
1970 Pamela Reid Stecker
1971 Pauline Aguilar Aldrete
1972 Verla Loomis Randall
1973 Mary Accetta
1974 Maria Marquez
1975 Betty Ungaro Di Bernardo
1976 Annette Domicoli Mattera
1977 Robbie Mezin Haynes
1978 Jamie Jezin Cardamone
1979 Paula Rich Schopp
1980 Cathy Robles
1981 Lynn Biazevich Solaro
1982 Sandi Frka Badalamenti
1983 Cindy Karmelich Ogusuku
1984 Debbie Russo Baker
1985 Kristi Barbieri
1986 Janet Pesusich
1987 Patricia Palaziol Fire
1988 Stephanie Cigliano Robles
1989 Terri Ikic Rasic
1990 Glori Spralja Sestich
1991 Danielle Perkov
1992 Peggy Siverson Rados
1993 Nicole Padilla
1994 Gina Aguilar Garcia
1995 Monica Baca
1996 Sabrina Buscaino
1997 Amanda Moore Baird
1998 Erica Daser Mendoza
1999 Elena Daser Villareal
2000 Tara Ann Molle
2001 Malisa Marquez
2002 Christina DiMaggio
2003 Caitlyn Trudnich Piercy
2004 Ali DiBernardo
2005 Phoebe San Gabriel
2006 Jennifer Bristol Green
2007 Lauren Costa Valenza
2008 Nicole Hernandez
2009 Melina Mossberg
2010 Nikol Grbic
2011 Emily Harrison
2012 Itzel De La Torre
2013 Alexis Bruschi
2014 Kaylee Rucker
2015 Allison Castagnola
2016 Rose Amalfitano
2017 Gina Duhovic
2018 Sofia Amalfitano
2019 Rosana Poliseri
2020 No Fiesta (Pandemic Closure)
2021 Anna Duhovic
2022 Abigail Warner
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(List provided by Mary Star of the Sea Parish.)
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