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Santa Barbara’s ‘Old Spanish Days Fiesta’ Turns 100!🎉
‘Old Spanish Days Fiesta’ Illuminates the Cultural and Historical Contributions Unique to the Region with This Year’s Milestone Centennial Celebration, July 31 – August 4!
Banner photo: Spirit of Fiesta 2024, Georgey Taupin © Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
The coastal community of Santa Barbara offers the biggest city-wide celebration of its’ Spanish, Mexican and North American founders reflected in the annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta. This landmark festival, founded in 1924, has grown into a week-long celebration of vibrant cultural events mixed with heartwarming hospitality.
© Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
Visitors love Santa Barbara. The city is filled with history that embraces multiple cultures igniting local and regional pride.
The following are highlights of this year’s centennial celebration.
Beginning Wednesday, July 31 and continuing through Saturday, August 3 enjoy daily docent tours of the historic Spanish-Moorish Courthouse, along with the vibrant Mexican Market, ‘Mercado de la Guerra featuring Mexican-American foods, craft-filled shops and souvenirs, and all day live entertainment.
The evening of July 31 offers an enchanting dance and music showcase on the steps of the historic Santa Barbara Mission. Founded on December 4, 1786, this is the only mission continuously operated by the Franciscans since its founding. The official opening event La Fiesta Pequeña “Little Fiesta” offers, free to the public, an evening of dance presentations including Spanish classical, Mexican folklorico and Flamenco groups with the highly anticipated performances from the Spirit and Jr. Spirit of Fiesta, Georgey Taupin and Aleenah Soriano from the Zermeño Dance Academy. This event also streams live on KEYT.com
© Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
Thursday, August 1 – Sunday, August 4 features an event favorite, the Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo and celebration of Western heritage. Rooted in the practices of Spanish ranchers and their Mexican ranch hands, vaqueros, the rodeo showcases a unique blend of athleticism, tradition, and community spirit from bull and bareback riding, roping, barrel racing and more!
Continuing Thursday don’t miss the exceptional fundraiser DIGS! (Celebración de los Dignatarios) with proceeds benefiting the Santa Barbara Zoo and Fiesta. Local restaurants go all out participating in this important event offering a wide selection of tasty food bites, delightful Margaritas, live music and plenty of dancing at the Zoo’s breathtaking hilltop location.
© Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
Friday, August 2 features the highly anticipated Historical Parade (El Desfile Histórico). This parade will feature one of the nation’s largest equestrian processions with over 600 horses, as well as a showcase of antique carriages, floats, and Native American and Spanish Pioneers reenacting early historical scenes. Starting at 12 noon, the parade runs along Cabrillo Blvd with reserved seating offered and extends to the beach.
© Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
Friday is also the start of a charming free 3-day outdoor evening experience Las Noches de Ronda, “Nights of Gaiety” at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. Enjoy performances from Flor y Canto’s authentic early California Spanish dance with live music, traditional Native American dancers from the local Chumash tribe, Mexican folklórico, and Flamenco dancers from schools in the region performing to taped music and live musicians.
© Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
Saturday, August 3, come out early and get ready to smash a colorfully decorated Folk Art confetti egg or Cascarón, over someone’s head – a fun tradition! Saturday’s festivities begin at 10am with the enchanting El Desfile de los Niños (Children’s Parade) a favorite featuring over 2,500 youth and their families from local Flamenco and Folkloric schools all displaying traditional costumes. The cutest!
© Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
Sunday, August 3 the final day of this exceptional week wraps with the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association’s closing activities for the Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo.
What a week of activities for all!
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Vida Flamenca wishes to thank the exceptional Old Spanish Days Executive Committee and El Presidente, Brian Schwabecher; Board of Directors; Sponsors, Staff, Volunteers, Participants, Parents and the invaluable community of Santa Barbara. Your hard work is much appreciated in making every year a phenomenal cultural celebration.
Special thanks to photographer Fritz Olenberger, El Primer Vice Presidente for these exceptional images. © Fritz Olenberger; Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2024.
Full schedule of events here: https://www.sbfiesta.org/events-calendar
Viva la fiesta!🎉
Georgey Taupin and Aleenah Soriano from the Zermeño Dance Academy. PC: © Fritz Olenberger, Old Spanish Days Fiesta.
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Additionally, here is the Zermeño Dance Academy free performance schedule offered throughout the city on multiple days. Other schools of Flamenco dance perform as well in alternating time slots. As with all live performances, schedule is subject to change. Enjoy & Viva la Fiesta!
