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Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to honoring and preserving Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage, and traditions. Tax ID # 95-1541669 . Fiesta Newsletter Sign-up
- Events Calendar
Courthouse Fiesta Tours/ Wednesday-Sunday. Free one-hour...
- Fiesta Videos
2022 La Misa del Presidente (The President's Mass) Held each...
- Fiesta News
Official Theme for Fiesta 2024, the 100 th Anniversary,...
- Store
Store - Old Spanish Days -- Fiesta Week in Santa Barbara -...
- Become a Sponsor
Santa Barbara, CA. July 31 - August 4, 2024. Donate;...
- Mercado and Arts & Crafts Vendor Information
Mercado and Arts & Crafts Vendor Information - Old Spanish...
- Parade Applications
El Desfile Histórico Parade : Old Spanish Days in Santa...
- Los Niños de las Flores
This is a great way to make new friends and represent the...
- Performing at Fiesta
La Fiesta Pequeña. Thank you for your interest in performing...
- El Desfile de los Niños (Children's Parade)
El Desfile de los Niños (Children's Parade) - Old Spanish...
- Events Calendar
- Fiesta Backgrounds
- Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara
- 1924—The First Historical Parade
- La Fiesta Pequeña
- La Misa Del Presidente
- El Mercado
- Noches de Ronda
- Old Spanish Days Fiesta
Compiled and Edited by Paul G. Sweetser Santa Barbarans have long been proud of their city's heritage from Spanish founders and from the Spanish, Mexican and North American pioneers who first settled here and built the city. The tradition of colorful music, dance, and song together with a spirit of friendliness, hospitality and tolerance are part o...
In the year 1924, two circumstances motivated the first Fiesta. First off, there had for some time been a feeling among the business people of the city that Santa Barbara should have an annual summer event to attract and entertain visitors. The city had come to be a favorite place for winter tourists, but visitors had not been drawn to Santa Barbar...
As mentioned previously, the original celebration was planned to include a parade. The parade committee was headed by Dwight Murphy, a fancier and breeder of Palomino horses who had come to Santa Barbara County and purchased large ranch holdings in the area of San Marcos Pass. Approximately two months before the parade, Murphy was invited to attend...
Being that the most prominent Fiestas in the Spanish and Mexican tradition have always been closely connected with church celebrations, it is only fitting that Santa Barbara's annual Fiesta has included traditions with the historic Old Mission Santa Barbara. With the gracious involvement of the Franciscan Fathers, those traditions continue today. T...
In 1936, which marked the sesquicentennial of the founding of the Mission, a Solemn High Mass was sung on the first day of Fiesta at the Mission. The public, of all faiths, was invited to attend in traditional costume. Today, La Misa Del Presidente is held on the second day of Fiesta in the morning and continues to be open to people of all faiths. ...
El Mercado as its known in Spain and Mexico, or "the marketplace," has been the center of village and city life all over the world. However, as Santa Barbara had no Mercado, the gathering spot for the people of Santa Barbara had been the Presidio. During the many fiestas prior to the first Old Spanish Days Fiesta in 1924, booths were set up in vari...
Noches De Ronda "Nights of Gaiety" was first organized in 1922 at the home of Leontine and Arthur Verhelle with the assistance of William and Rosa Poole. Members of the community were invited to the Verhelle home for an evening of music and dance performances by the Poole-Verhelle Dance Group. This group had previously been formed to preserve and p...
In 1926 the group of merchants who had formed the first official "Old Spanish Days" committee and members of the parade committee met under the leadership of Dwight Murphy and established the present non-profit corporation of "Old Spanish Days Fiesta, Inc." Murphy was elected president and thus became the first "Presidente." After the creation of a...
Aug 2, 2023 · Project Fiesta: 99 Years recurring daily between 12-5 p.m. As the 100th anniversary of Old Spanish Days approaches, Santa Barbara Historical Museum celebrates the festive annual celebration with 99 photographs spanning 99 years in the exhibit “Project Fiesta: 99 Years.”. The exhibit is on view through Nov. 12, 2024.
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation dedicated to honoring and preserving Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage and traditions. This 90+-year-old organization produces an annual five day festival -- Fiesta -- that is widely regarded as Santa Barbara’s premier festival.
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to honoring and preserving Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage, and traditions. Tax ID # 95-1541669 . Fiesta Newsletter Sign-up
Santa Barbara’s rich heritage comes alive during the first week in August with the music, dance, and pageantry of Old Spanish Days Fiesta, the granddaddy of city celebrations, reaching back to 1925. The 5-day party opens with La Fiesta Pequeña — the little festival — on the steps of the Old Mission Santa Barbara, with traditional flamenco and folklorico dance...
