Santa Barbara Local Customs

Fiesta is Santa Barbara's own version of Marti Gras. It's a great time for all ages. For a few days in August, Santa Barbara shows off it's Spanish culture. State Street is alive and happening with many happy revelers. It's a really great family get together during the day - but also an awesome place for adults to act like kids with throwing colorful eggs full of confetti at each other. There are also mariachi bands wandering the streets to serenade visitors. The bars are crowded with drinkers starting at 10am. It is quite a party, used to be my favorite time of year when I was in college :)

Every Sunday along Cabrillo Blvd. starting at Stearns Wharf and running East for a couple of blocks is the Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show with original handmade artwork by local artisans. You can view items from Animal toys to Zebra paintings. The prices are all up to the artist on location. They display their wares on easels to tables from 10am to dusk.

In Santa Barbara, everything kind of looks pretty and on first sight, this large group of crosses seems to blend effortlessly into the sandy beach. Then you read that each cross represents a soldier killed in Iraq and it takes on a new meaning. It is meant to be a silent protest against the war but others see it as a tribute to the soldiers killed fighting for freedom. Perhaps the most amazing thing is the 500+ crosses are set up each Sunday morning and taken down late in the afternoon. If you are in town on a Sunday, it will be hard to miss as it is right next to the entrance to the pier down on the seaside.

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Taking Street Art to another level, the Madonnari Festival has been a Santa Barbara institution since its inception in 1987. Named after the Italian name for street artists, the huge block party features live music, vendors selling Italian food and attracts artists from around the world to the area in front of the Santa Barbara Mission. It is generally held the end of May. We were in Santa Barbara in early June and while the festival was over, the works of art were still pretty fresh and looking good.

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During the first week of August SB holds it most famous festival: fiesta or Old Spanish Days. The whole community gets together to celebrate the heritage of the city. Ther are parades, bands playing, carnival type of events, rodoes and extra special parties at the bars. You can also enjoy many beautiful dance performances (ballet, folkloric..) at various locations during the week including the Mission, De La Guera Plaza and the sunken garden at the Courtyard. Check out the website for the event calendar.

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The Summer Solstice parade is one parade that everyone looks forward to every year. The event is the largest art festival in Santa Barbara. It is something I can't really explain, it's something that you need to see to believe it. I guess you could compare it to a small carnival or mardi gras parade. The Parade is held on the saturday following Summer Solstice around 12:00 PM. The parade ends at Alameda park, located at the corner of Anacapa and Micheltorena Streets. The following festival at the park includes, live music, children's area and local art.

Forth of July can be very fun in Santa Barbara. The whole community celebrates by going to West Beach to watch the fireworks. From about 5pm to 10pm Cabrillo blvd. closes all traffic coming through. Along the beach there is live music and food. The fireworks start around 9:00- 9:30 ish. Get there early and don't drive your car downtown because you will not find parking after 2pm. The fireworks show is always good!

The 101 Freeway is built over the original El Camino Real, which means “Royal Highway” in Spanish. This historical road is the oldest street in California and used to be just a dusty path. The 21 California Missions were built all along the El Camino Real from San Diego to Sonoma, about 30 miles North of San Francisco hundreds of years ago. The bell pictured is situated in front of the Mission at Santa Barbara and similar bell shaped lamps line the old route of the El Camino Real to honor the California Missions and the original Royal Road.