DEL MAR — As memories fade, more folks are wondering who Don Diego is and why he is such a prominent character at the San Diego County Fair.

During the early days of the village in the late 1880s, there was a caballero known as Don Diego de Alvarado who was of good fortune, had a reputation of enjoying fine food and adult beverages, attracted beautiful senoritas, and so on. He even maintained a livery stable of fine bred horses on site.

The Alvarado house, now owned by the Del Mar Historical Society, was Don Diego’s residence when it was on 10th Street. In the not too distant future, it will be permanently located on Ninth Street, minutes from its original address.

When the fair resumed in 1946 after World War II, a starving artist gave then-Manager Paul T. Mannen a drawing of Don Diego with a serape draped over his shoulder and a sombrero in hand. Mannen immediately saw its potential because the overall theme of the fairground was of Spanish architecture and the character fit the motif perfectly.

He paid the hungry artist a token for the drawing then took it to the William Morris Theatrical Agency in Hollywood and requested it provide someone who fit the drawing.

The agency came up with Tommy Hernandez, who was best known for stints on the Cisco Kid flicks. Except for 1947 when he was on location, Hernandez was the fair’s Don Diego, and with the Fairest of the Fair, outfitted in Spanish garb, Don Diego made promotional appearances all over the Southland and was seen daily at the fair. Don Diego insisted on walking the fairgrounds but it proved difficult for the queen because of her flowing gowns, so a well-decorated electric cart became their mode of transportation.

Don Diego remained the fair’s ambassador until his death from leukemia in 1984. He was 64 years of age and was still the Fairest of the Fair’s escort.

The fair’s board of directors decided there was only one Don Diego so they retired the symbol and created a Don Diego scholarship program that recognizes youth who participate in agricultural related projects and those who work at the fair. They also commissioned a bronze sculpture of Don Diego that is located at the main entrance. It welcomes visitors not only to the fair and horse races but the multitudes who attend the more than 300 interim events.