Friday evening, Feb. 19, in North Boulder, over 100 Zacatecan immigrants celebrated the feast day of St. Joseph in an annual ritual of food, dance and prayer at Boulder Meadows Community Center.

Often overshadowed by the reverie of Saint Patty’s Day, the feast of St. Joe pays homage to loyal fathers and workers in a alcohol-free celebration with family.

Eighteen-year old Denise Cervantes explained, “Everyone here is from Zacatecas, either Fresnillo, Tapias, Rio Medina, or Rancho Grande.”

Apolonio Arellano led the dance troupe, which featured some 20 dancers and three calavera figures who all worked off plates of traditional Mexican food.

Saint Joseph is also known to desperate real estate agents and to homeowners who seek to sell houses fast. Burying small statues of Joseph the Carpenter on real estate that is for sale is said to lead to a more rapid transaction. Read more about the statue.

Video by Joe Richey