Village 4th Takes off with Longer Parade Route

The Montecito Association’s Village 4^th went full on with a longer parade route that officially started at the intersection of San Ysidro Road (SYR) and East Valley Road, then proceeded down SYR to Lower Manning Park. The parade route was packed with kids of all ages and dogs donning their best July 4^th-inspired fashion statements. The pre-parade Annual Montecito Firefighters Association Pancake Breakfast at Montecito Fire Station 91 saw over 1,776 tickets sold! Proceeds from the event benefit the Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation. Congrats to those flapjack flippin’ omelet tossing firefighters! 

The Village 4th parade was led by Boy Scout Troup 33, followed by Montecito Union School and Cold Spring School students and parents. Parade Grand Marshalls were the schools’ respective Superintendents Anthony Ranii and Amy Alzina, who rode in a Rosewood Miramar Beach green surrey car. They were followed by First District Supervisor Roy Lee with his Chief Deputy Aida Thau, and antique convertible cars with town luminaries like David Bolton and Gonzalo Sarmiento riding with Jenna Reichental, Homer Montecito, and Mission Linen in their 1930 Model T, the Blankenships representing Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation in a 1942 U.S. Navy Jeep, Dana and Andrea Newquist’s Little Toots Firetruck, Montecito Sanitary District General Manager (and retired Rear Admiral) John Weigold, SB County Search & Rescue Team, Adam McKaig, Direct Relief, the CHP, the Montecito Association, the Montecito Community Foundation, and many locals driving highly polished antique cars waving U.S. flags.

Parade contest winners are: 

Most Patriotic = #34 Direct Relief

Most Community Spirit = #12 the Rosewood Miramar Beach

Most Entertaining = #9 SB County Search and Rescue

The annual tug-of-war challenge for the Montecito Cup was won by Montecito Union School who defeated Cold Spring School for the fourth year in a row. The event rounded up with a sack race, a pie eating contest won by a hungry kid in less than minute, live music by the Music Academy of the West brass ensemble and the Outta the Blue band, BBQ by Oak & Fire, wine, beer and pastries! 

Happy 4^th America!