Photos by Mary Alice Murphy and Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner and Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch, with Kevin Cook of sponsor Freeport McMoRan, and Santa Clara Clerk Sheila Hudman, at right, listen to emcee Raul Turrieta
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
Robert Padilla of the Santa Clara Action Committee talks about the event, as Turrieta, Hudman and Village Trustee Olga Amador look on.
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
The passing of the tamal and its fiesta from Silver City Mayor Ladner to Mayor Bauch, with Turrieta and Hudman watching.
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
Customers for tamales wait to be served by Abigail and Epifanio Perez
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
Santa Claus AKA Trustee Rocky Hildebrand waits to meet children and adults
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
People came out to the Fiesta despite the windy, chilly weather, with a peek-a-boo sun. City Hall was decked out. Photo by Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara 120118
Train rides for the little ones. Photo by Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara- 120118
Emma Jade Smith, Candace Smith and Lilynn Zacharias from Cliff were selling homemade Christmas gifts to raise money for a trip to Washington D.C. next year. Photo by Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara- 120118
Rachel Hernandez and Sonia Cochran, two of the many people who had booths at the event. Photo by Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara- 120118
Rhonda Tustin and granddaughter Sophia made ornaments to sell. Photo by Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara- 120118
People lined up for tamales. Photo by Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara- 120118
Local band Illusion played for the crowd. Photo by Sandra Michaud
Tamal Fiesta - Santa Clara- 120118
Olga and Elias Amador dance to the band's music. Photo by Sandra Michaud
On a chilly, windy day with intermittent bursts of sunshine, the Tamal Fiesta, which did not take place last year, was transferred from Silver City to Santa Clara with the passing of the tamal and its fiesta from Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner to Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch.
Booths selling gifts, ornaments and other wares bought out people to browse. The longest lines formed in front of the booths selling red and green tamales and other food items, such as Navajo tacos. Santa Claus AKA Village Trustee Rocky Hildebrand visited with children and adults alike. Train rides entertained the children.