From a Catholic Celebration to Drunken Debauchery: the History of the Festival of San Agustín in Tucson
by Felix Brigham
August 28 marks the feast of the patron saint of Tucson, San Agustín or Saint Augustine. While it is no longer celebrated in Tucson, the Festival of San Agustín was once the city’s largest yearly celebration.
Tucson’s modern city history began in 1775 with the construction of the Spanish Presidio San Agustín del Tucson. The presidio was named after San Agustín (354-430 CE), one of the most influential theologians and philosophers in the history of Christianity. He is credited with significantly developing and shaping the concept of original sin and made significant contributions to the development of just war theory. He died on August 28, 430 CE, at the age of seventy-five. The anniversary of his death marks the day of his celebration in Tucson.
It is not known when the Festival of San Agustín originally began in Tucson, but it is believed to have begun during the Spanish or Mexican period and was held in the presidio’s Plaza de las Armas. During this time, the festival would begin with a procession to the church, where a priest would give a sermon, after which participants would return to the festival grounds, where they would fire guns and ring bells.
There are a variety of newspaper reports that describe the celebration during the Territorial period. The festival grounds were originally inside the Tucson Presidio, but during the Territorial Period, they were moved to Military Plaza and then to Levin’s Park. Saloon owners, restaurateurs, confectioners, fruit sellers, cigar shop owners, and gamblers would erect booths where they would sell refreshments and offer games to play. A variety of food could be purchased, such as tamales, ice cream, and acorns (also known as bellotas or Arizona peanuts). Some of the games played were Keno, Chuck o’ luck, and Monte. Foot races and horse races were also common, and by 1880 so were fireworks.
Although the Festival of San Agustín celebrated a Catholic saint, the activities that took place were not always approved by the church. As the years went on, the Festival of San Agustín became increasingly rowdy and profane. Eventually, the priests of Tucson distanced themselves from the celebration as it became a “licensed public exhibition of gambling and drinking.” The feast and festival benefited Tucson’s economy and provided plenty of entertainment, but their levels of debauchery led the city priests to ban them from Military Plaza. The celebration was moved to Levin’s Park for a few years and then further outside of the center of town before it eventually faded out of popularity.