The First Chasco Fiesta

By Paul Herman, Digital Media Archivist, West Pasco Historical Society

(This page is based on an article published in the Suncoast News on March 13, 2024)

It’s a beautiful New Year’s day in 1922, and New Port Richey postmaster Gerben DeVries is fishing on the Pithlachascotee River. He is no stranger to the river, having rowed his boat to Port Richey and back almost every day to get the mail before a post office was established at New Port Richey in 1915.

But today the river looked different. A devastating hurricane had hit New Port Richey a few weeks before and caused considerable damage and erosion. Then he saw it … a glazed clay cylinder exposed within the roots of a palm along the shore. Inside the container he found a rolled up parchment signed by Padre Luis, a Franciscan missionary of the order of St. Francis. The document, written in Castilian Spanish, told a very intriguing story about events that happened some 250 years earlier along the Cotee River.

Gerben’s discovery was the talk of the town, and there was no need to doubt the word of a person such as he – one who is well respected in the community and familiar with the river and its history. The Tampa Morning Tribune published a news article on the 8th of February, 1922, titled, “Find Record of Old Tribe of Indians” detailing the discovery and lauding its historical value.

The scroll found by Gerben Devries, once translated, told the story of a Spanish nobelman and soldier named DeValla who was charged by the King of Spain to subdue the unconverted Indians in “La Florida”. Along with his following of men, he brought his foster son, Phillip, and his daughter, doña Isabella, on his mission to the west coast of Florida. Starting at St. Augustine, they traveled across the peninsula of Florida to the west and then south, where they encountered a tribe of Calusa Indians who lived near the mouth of the “Cotee” River. During their confrontation, DeValla was slain along with all of his troops. Only Padre Luis, Phillip and doña Isabella were spared.

Many years passed, and the three Spaniards continued to live amongst the Native Americans, who eventually came to accept them as members of the tribe. In the fifth year after their capture, Padre Luis had become successful in making converts of the Calusa tribe, and the boy and girl were held
in high esteem by the tribal leaders. The chieftain, Mucoshee, adopted doña Isabella as his daughter so she could reign over the tribe as “Queen Chasco”. And he declared Phillip as “Prince Pithla” to be the new chief. The following year, “Queen Chasco” and “Prince Pithla” were married by Padre
Luis. The tribe then lived in peace for many years.

The people of New Port Richey decided that Gerben Devries’ story warranted a celebration to commemorate Queen Chasco and Prince Pithla. And thus, the Chasco Fiesta was born. Once taken as fact, Gerben eventually admitted that his story was a made-up tale created to draw large crowds
of people to the city. His inspiration was Tampa’s Gasparilla Pirate Festival, established in 1904 – and also based on a legend.

The first Chasco Fiesta was held Thursday through Saturday, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of March, 1922. On Thursday, the town was packed with people. In the afternoon there was a carnival parade. Then around sunset, Queen Chasco – dressed in the gorgeous dress of the ruler of her tribe – came to the
landing in Enchantment Park amidst a fleet of stately canoes. And the celebration commenced.

Friday, the Fiesta included an automobile parade, a car race, a banquet and coronation ball. On Saturday, there was rain, so the boat parade had to be canceled. Later in the afternoon, the weather cleared, and the planned boat races were held on the river. Even though the first Chasco Fiesta of 1922 was a resounding success, another festival was not held for many years. There were small carnivals, and a one-day Fiesta in 1931. But the full Chasco
Fiesta was not held again until 1947. Since then it has been held each year except during the recent pandemic. The Chasco Fiesta, spanning two weekends in late March, is now the largest festival on the Nature Coast of Florida, attracting over 100,000 people. This year’s Chasco Fiesta will be held
March 15th to 23rd in downtown New Port Richey.

This page was last updated on 16 Oct 2024 by Paul Herman