Rendezvous at The Fort
Tesoro Cultural Center’s Annual Rendezvous at The Fort
Step back in time with Tesoro Cultural Center's Rendezvous at The Fort. Each year, Tesoro Cultural Center commemorates Far Western Mountain men and women and the Fur Trade, including trappers' and traders' encampments. The American Indian culture was dominant at Bent’s Old Fort in the 1830s and 1840s, and we invite you to meet today’s American Indian nations through ceremonial dances and singing, listen to storytellers, enjoy music from Rex Rideout and much more!
This year’s celebration will take place on the grounds of The Fort on Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, with FREE on-site parking for guests. Admission is $10 per adult, kids ages 7-12 are $5 and kids 6 and under are free. Tickets are available for purchase online.
We hope to welcome you to one – or all – of the events throughout this exciting weekend!
Early Bird Sneak Preview: Saturday, September 21 | 9-10 a.m.
New this year, festivities will kick off with an Early Bird Sneak Preview! Join us on Saturday, September 21, from 9–10 a.m. (before the event is open to the public) and have the first view of the amazing artwork from several award-winning Spanish Colonial artists. Guests will also have the chance to speak to Rendezvous participants and learn more about their trade before the crowd arrives at 10 a.m., as well as enjoy a spread of breakfast pastries, fruit and beverages. The Early Bird Sneak Preview is open to all guests, with tickets priced at $20 per person. Purchase your tickets online today.
Rendezvous at The Fort: Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22 
A day at the Rendezvous at The Fort is a day in the early West, offering engaging and immersive fun for the whole family. Historic interpreters will show guests day-to-day skills from the 1830s and 1840s, such as sign language, wool processing, domestic arts and more. Additional activities include a scavenger hunt, informative lectures, raptors, mammals and reptiles provided by Nature’s Educators, storytelling by Angel Vigil, music of the period by Rex Rideout, Spanish Colonial Art crafted using methods and materials of yesteryears, and Powwow song and dance demonstrations. Concessions will be provided onsite by The Fort Restaurant.
Attending Spanish Colonial Artists
The 1840 Rendezvous weekend will also feature award-winning artists, each displaying artwork in various art mediums. While not a comprehensive list, attending artists include:
Teresa Duran
Teresa Duran is a fifth-generation Coloradoan, whose family can be traced to early settlements of New Mexico. Teresa's interest in art started when she began analyzing colors, patterns and design of material at the early age of four. Teresa has worked in various mediums; she believes that each artist is unique and must paint what comes from the heart and soul. She especially enjoys depicting the sentiments of women.
Teresa utilizes natural materials. She paints her images on hand-carved pine, pinion and aspen wood. She also makes her own gesso using animal skin glue, marble dust and/or gypsum. Her pigments are made of natural ingredients such as: indigo, cochineal, plants, minerals and watercolors. Teresa seals her art pieces with a homemade varnish made from piñon sap and grain alcohol.
Teresa has shown her work at various museums, universities, churches and galleries. Her artwork was selected to market the 1994 "Chili Harvest Festival" at the Denver Botanic Gardens and the 1996 "Colorado Santeros" exhibit at Regis University. She recently applied and was juried in the Spanish Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Last year Teresa won second place in Retablos at Tesoro's Spanish Colonial Market.
Randy Trujillo
Randy is a native Santa Fean and also a distinguished Spanish Market Artist. He is always perfecting his craft by creating beautiful pieces of furniture and furnishings. Each piece is designed with exquisite carving and craftsmanship distinct in the patterns and designs of Spanish Colonial Art, which also includes the unique mortise and tenon joinery, as well as dovetail joinery. Randy has been commissioned by several prestigious national parks, churches, hotels and restaurants to create or reproduce furniture and doors. He uses these same principles when working with clients who request specific pieces or items such as doors, gates and cabinetry for the home or office. Randy's' clientele is as diverse as his talents and includes collectors, local businesses and the public community.
Margarito Mondragón
Born in Ocate, New Mexico, Margarito was first juried into the Santa Fe Spanish Market in 1996. He has been published in numerous books, including “Our Saints Among Us” by Barbe Awalt and Paul Rhetts, and “The Saint Makers by Chuck” by Jan Rosenak. His work can be seen in the Spanish Colonial Museum in Santa Fe; the Rough Riders Museum in Las Vegas, New Mexico; the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe; and as part of the Regis University Collection in Denver. Margarito’s many awards include a second place Mixed Media and the Directors Award at the 2003 Spanish Market in Santa Fe; the Poster Award at the 2006 Santa Fe Spanish Market; third place in the Bultos category at the 2006 Tesoro Spanish Colonial Market; and second place in Bultos in 2008 at Tesoro.
Denver Singers
We are excited to host The Denver Singers this year, while they share American Indian social dances from the Great Plains. The Denver Singers is a Native American Drum Group that originated in the 1970s in the Denver Metro Area and consists of singers from various tribes coming together.