Mission Celebrates 225 years

1798-2023

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Mission San Luis Rey, founded on June 13, 1798, celebrates its 225th anniversary. Our anniversary gift to you is a series of great events and true Franciscan hospitality whenever you visit the Mission. 

Celebrate with Us

Throughout 2023, we will celebrate the people and history of the Mission and the ways in which we connect with our community today.  

Our year of celebration includes a special multi-cultural Mass on our anniversary date, lectures, concerts, and celebration events. The events include two much-loved events, brought back for our 225th year – Fiesta and Heritage Ball. 

As part of our 225th anniversary, we invite our Oceanside community to show us how you “Care for our Common Home.” What do you do to conserve our resources, care for the earth, or help those less fortunate. We would like to collect 225 ways how we all are doing our part. As one example, you can use laundry soap sheets to replace plastic bottles of laundry soap. This keeps plastic bottles out of landfills and reduces plastic use. Please share your ideas, photos, or short videos at info@sanluisrey.org.

Continue to check back for shared memories, updates and tickets to events. If you would like to share your Mission memories, photos, stories, or a short video, please contact us at info@sanluisrey.org.

 

Calendar of Events:

January 17th, Tuesday, 12 noon Media Day with Tour  
January 28th, Saturday, 4pm Lecture on Luiseño History by Mel Vernon, Captain of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians  
February 11th, Sunday, 5pm Flute Concert led by Mel Vernon, Captain of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians  
March 18th, Saturday 10am – 2pm Art Festival  
May 20th, Saturday, 6:30pm & 9pm Classical Candlelight Concert – Mission Church  
June 13th, Tuesday, 6:30pm Multi-cultural Anniversary Mass, Mission Church  
June 16th - 18th, Friday Evening through Sunday Evening Mission Fiesta  
July 8th, Saturday, 6:30pm & 9pm Classical Candlelight Concert – Mission Church  (SOLD OUT)  
August 19th, Saturday Evening Heritage Ball   
August 26th, Saturday Feast Day of St. Luis Rey Mass with Procession   
September 1st, Friday, 6:30pm & 9pm Candlelight Concert - Beethoven’s Best Works  
September 9th, Saturday, 4:00pm FRANCISCAN HISTORY AT MISSION SAN LUIS REY
Fr. Jack Clark Robinson, OFM, PhD. Director, Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
October 7th, Saturday 9am Walk The Mission (check-in available beginning at 8:30am) CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
October 7th, Saturday 10am – 2pm St. Francis Festival and Animal Blessing, including Shells to the Bells walk/run  
October 19th, Thursday, 6:30pm & 9pm Candlelight Concert - Vivaldi’s Four Seasons CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
November 2nd, Thursday, 6:30pm & 9pm Candlelight Concert - Mozart’s Requiem and More CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
November 3rd, Friday MISSION VESTMENTS AND TEXTILES
Annabelle Camp. Textile and organic objects conservator. Kress Conservation Fellow, Balboa Arts Conservation Center.
 
November 10th, Friday FRANCISCAN SAINTS IN ART
Helena Hazleton. Art Historian. Museum Director, Mission San Luis Rey
 
November 18th, Saturday afternoon Lecture on Mission Landscape Paintings with Helena Hazelton, Mission Museum Director  
December 1st and 2nd, Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 2pm Concert – San Luis Rey Chorale Christmas Concert  
December 29th, Friday, 6:30pm & 9pm Candlelight Concert  

Be a Part of our Celebration

The 225th Anniversary of Mission San Luis Rey is going to be an exciting year full of many special events and activities. There will be several opportunities for retail and food vendors as well as volunteers. 

For information on how to become a Retail Vendor for our 225th Anniversary events, please contact Paula Rayo at 760-757-3651, ext 256 or email at Paula@sanluisrey.org

            Fiesta – June 17 and 18, 2023

            Blessing of the Animals – October 7, 2023

 

For information on how to become a Food Vendor for our 225th Anniversary Fiesta or Blessing of the Animals, please contact Betsy Brigantti at bbrigantti@gmail.com

            Fiesta – June 17 and 18, 2023

            Blessing of the Animals – October 7, 2023

 

We will need many volunteers to help us with our 255th Anniversary events. Please email if you would like to volunteer at:

            Fiesta – June 17 and 18, 2023                            

            Heritage Ball – August 19, 2023                        

            Feast of San Luis Rey – August 25, 2023            

            Blessing of the Animals – October 7, 2023         

 

For Sponsorship Opportunities and to become a Sponsor: