A Taste of Early California at Mission Hills Rancho

At Rancho Days, Sunday at the Andres Pico Adobe in Mission Hills, families can dine on cactus stew, make candles and enjoy a day of Early California-themed activities. Sponsored by the San Fernando Valley Historical Society and held intermittently since 1970, the fiesta is a laid-back look at rancho life. Parts of the adobe itself date back to 1834. Many of the docents will be in period costumes to help visitors feel as if they are stepping back in time.

The fiesta begins at 9 a.m. with a ranch-style breakfast. Afterward, visitors can watch a local Scout troop make adobe bricks or join in the candle making, coffee grinding and butter churning. To get a real feeling for life before appliances, youngsters can help wash laundry on the adobe’s patio, using a scrub board and soap.

The cactus-stew lunch will be served beginning at noon. Cold drinks and pan dulce will also be available. A children’s folkloric group will perform at 10 a.m. and a flamenco performance is scheduled for 2 p.m.

There also will be children’s games, a marketplace, quilt show, bake sale. The house will be open for tours. Pioneer families and longtime Valley residents are urged to sign the Pioneer Registry.

Admission is free. The adobe is at 10940 Sepulveda Blvd. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information: (818) 365-7810.