1st Portuguese Queen: Virginia Borge Silva & 2026 Message from Yerington Portuguese President Joel Muller

Yerington NV – June 8, 2026

On the very day of Yerington’s 2026 Portuguese Festival, June 7, Steve Plummer reached out to Pizen Switch Times with this:

Virginia Borge Silva, Yerington’s first Festa queen in 1919, was my maternal great aunt, and John Borge, her father and one of the organizers, was (Steve Plummer’s) great grandfather. I knew them both and have fond memories. The enclosed photo is of John’s wife Marie and their daughters, Anna, Marie, Virginia and Margaret (with Steve’s great grandmother Marie in back). It was most likely taken in 1919, when Virginia was 12. Her attire was more special than her sisters’ and might well have been what she wore for the celebration.

An excerpt from an essay about the beginning of the Yerington Portuguese Festival in 1919:

From Joel Muller, President of the Yerington Portuguese Organization wrote:

“Keep cooking.”

Like dozens of others, I woke up this Monday, June 8, 2026, morning feeling a little extra tired after planning, preparing for, and celebrating the 105th Yerington Portuguese Festa over the weekend. As I reflected on the terrific times we shared, I wanted to pass along a few thoughts about what our Festa means today—and where these celebrations may head in the future.

For more than a century, Yerington, Lovelock, and Fallon have carried on the tradition of celebrating the Portuguese Pentecost Festa. Around the 1920s, many families immigrated primarily from the Azores Islands to Western Nevada, bringing with them their faith, traditions, recipes, music, work ethic, and deep sense of family and community. These new Nevadans held springtime Festas to honor their heritage, the Holy Ghost, and the miracle of Queen Isabella. Those traditions continue to this day, and our communities still share joyful hearts as we watch our Portuguese descendants parade to church.

Of course, times have changed.

The trucks that once drove through the valley collecting beef, linguiça, and auction donations from neighbors, dairies, and ranches have largely been replaced by online orders and deliveries. Zoom meetings have taken the place of the weekly crown parties that rotated from home to home as families gathered to plan the Festa together. Local Portuguese residents have moved across Nevada and beyond, giving our Festa an even greater spirit of homecoming for people who once lived in Mason Valley.

But those who organize and celebrate the Festa today see themselves as a living bridge between their grandparents’ legacy and their grandchildren’s memories. While many participants can trace at least a small piece of their ancestry to Portuguese roots, each year our volunteer ranks and kitchens become more diverse. Some of us (myself included) found our way into this wonderful community through marriage, friendship, or simply by being welcomed into the tradition.

And that makes our June commitment even more special—we participate because we choose to; we opt in. While our collective lineage may become thinner, our shared purpose grows stronger.

Our Festa may never reach the size of the giant gatherings in California’s Central Valley, but year after year we welcome someone new who falls in love with the small-town warmth and heart behind our celebration. Someone inevitably says, “I remember this dance,” or “My grandmother used to make this recipe,” or “We should bring back that tradition.” And as long as tasting sopas or linguiça sparks a memory, reconnects someone to their roots, or allows our next generation to experience their heritage, every bit of effort will be worth it.

Someday, perhaps, our families may become so scattered that continuing the Festa feels too difficult. But not this year. And not next year, either. Not when we proudly watch our next generation take the torch and step forward to learn, love, and lead.

Thank you to the incredibly generous donors, volunteers, cooks, auction supporters, and everyone who participated in making yesterday so memorable. Add a special thanks to Lori Pinkerton, with whom I’ve partnered to lead the effort over the last several years. Your time, effort, and heart are what keep this tradition alive.

If you are interested in helping with our 106th Festa, mark your calendars now for June 6, 2027. Feel free to message Lori or me (in Facebook) if you would like to learn more or become involved.

Deus Vá Com A Gente / May God go with us.

– Joel Muller

 

Related article:

Yerington’s 2026 Portuguese Festa on Sunday, June 7: History & Past Queens

More articles with Steve Plummer and his Mason Valley NV ancestry:

https://pizenswitchtimes.com/?s=Steve+Plummer