Parades in Paradise
The pandemic-propelled State Street parklets are still preventing the return of the Santa Barbara Downtown Holiday Parade, but neighbors just a bit east and south are both staging their marching extravaganzas on Saturday, December 9. Carpinteria’s Holiday Spirit Parade begins at 3 pm on Linden Avenue, the seaside city’s main drag, with floats, marching bands, youth groups, city officials, and more, followed by dance performances at the Seal Fountain. The nearby Lynda Fairly Carpinteria Arts Center will also be open all day for the Carpinteria Lions Club’s Festival of Trees. Visit www.carpinteriaevents.com.
Back in town, Santa Barbara Eastside Society hosts the 69th annual Milpas Street Holiday Parade at 5:30 pm, this year sporting the theme of “Tradiciones Navideñas/Christmas Traditions.” Expect local school marching bands and cheerleaders, nonprofit organizations, classic cars, floats, local dignitaries and such traditional Mexican entries as an Oaxacan Puppet Dancer as well as both Santa Claus and the Grinch, all marching on Milpas Street. Info at https://sbeastside.org/holiday-parade.
Sunday, December 10, signals that it’s time to saunter to Stearns Wharf for the Parade of Lights. The free festivities begin at 3 pm with a Winter Wonderland on the city pier featuring 12 tons of man-made snow, goodie bags, holiday elves, and a visit from Santa. Water-bound competition starts at 3:30 pm with the Human-Powered entrants featuring dozens of standup paddlers and kayakers dressed in jolly attire powering their way through the harbor and around Stearns Wharf. At 5 pm, Dos Pueblos Jazz Choir offers seasonal tunes as part of the tree lighting ceremony next to the Sea Center. The main course launches at 5:30 pm, with dozens of imaginatively illuminated power and sailboats decorated to the “Holiday Disco Extravaganza” seasonal tunes, departing Leadbetter Beach and sailing down the coast to the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion, making a U-turn and heading back even closer to shore before thrilling the throng gathered on Stearns Wharf. A brief fireworks display follows after the final watercraft wanders away from the pier before the festivities wrap up with a no-host awards party at the Anchor Rose restaurant in the harbor. Visit https://santabarbaraca.gov/events/santa-barbara-harbor-parade-lights-2023.
