The Ramona Pageant began in 1923. From the Hemet Bowl website.
A two hour drive from Los Angeles, the open air Hemet Bowl has hosted the historic Ramona Pageant since 1923. Heading out to see this love story set in Old California is the kind of day trip one might have taken in the Art Deco era. Imagine making that drive in the 1920s! The tradition has endured for 99 seasons. Join us to experience a popular annual pageant that drew arts lovers from all over the Southland.
On Saturday, April 30th, members of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles will take a field trip to see the Ramona Pageant in Hemet, California!
About the Ramona Pageant:
A love story set in Old California, Ramona authentically depicts the cultural diversity of emerging settlers and native peoples. Based on a novel published by Helen Hunt Jackson in 1884, the play has become an annual tradition since its first performance in 1923. Many talented actresses have played the title role, including Dolores Del Rio in a 1928 film adaptation.
Every century or so, a story will emerge that carries so much social and emotional importance it becomes first a classic, and then… iconic. The tragic tale of Ramona and her lover Alessandro is just such a story. It gave the average citizen a look into a culture they had previously only heard rumor of. Woven into the romance of “Ramona” is a glimpse of the tragic history of Southern California’s native peoples. More than just a love story, it is a tale who’s message is as important today as it was when the novel first hit the public stage.
AUTHOR HELEN HUNT JACKSON
Helen Hunt Jackson was one of the most popular women writers of her day. Though for most of her life she had shied away from the weighty political and social issues of the late ninetieth century, in 1879 Jackson suddenly emerged, in what seemed a flash of civil consciousness, as one of America’s leading advocates of Indian rights. She called for changes in the government’s Indian policies, and documented its overt actions in an 1881 book entitled “A Century of Dishonor”.
Our field trip will be an informal meet up in Hemet, beginning at a nearby museum, proceeding to the Ramona Bowl, and concluding with no-host dinner at a local restaurant. There is no block of seats specifically reserved for ADSLA, but we recommend tickets in Upper Box C as it is covered. You can purchase your own Ramona tickets to join us.
Here are some activities that you can schedule if you want to spend a whole day in the Hemet area. You can also just join us for the Ramona Pageant.:
1:00pm: Tour of the Estudillo Mansion
Estudillo Mansion, 150 S Dillon Ave, San Jacinto, CA 92583
3:30 - 6:00pm: Ramona at the Ramona Bowl
Ramona Bowl Amphitheatre, 27400 Ramona Bowl Rd, Hemet, CA 92544
Doors open at 3:00 PM.
A fresco that was created by Milford Zornes and his Otis Art Institute students in 1942. Why Zornes decided to create this at the Bowl still remains a mystery. From the Hemet Bowl website.
Arrive early and check out the Ramona Bowl Museum!
6:30pm: No-Host Dinner.
A few nearby restaurants…
Dattilo Ristorante Italiano, 2288 E Florida Ave, Hemet, CA 92544
Steer N’ Stein, 3104 W Florida Ave, Hemet, CA 92545
Los Vaqueros Cantina & Grill, 3909 W Florida Ave, Hemet, CA 92545
Chinese Bistro, 28490 CA-74, Romoland, CA 92585
Advertising he pageant at the Mission Inn. From the Hemet Bowl website.
Drive out early to see more sights in Hemet, including the Hemet Maze Stone, Hemet Depot Museum, Western Science Center, or the Soboba Casino. Want to make a weekend of it? Hemet is about 50 minutes from RIverside, where the historic Mission Inn makes a great getaway!
Please note that this event is not a production of the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles. You are responsible for purchasing your own tickets. All transactions are between you and the venue.