Summer Solstice Celebration: Life as a Parade

Community is a big buzz word these days, from nonprofit mission statements to arts organization’s program descriptors. But over here nothing says community like the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade. 

Everything about the saunter (not a march) up Santa Barbara Street (formerly State Street in the pre-pandemic days) on the Saturday closest to the longest day of the year is focused on the local community. Indeed; unlike, say, Fiesta, the Avocado Festival, or even I Madonnari, the parade is put together almost exclusively by locals while visitors make up only a small portion of the folks who turn out every year to watch or join in. 

“It’s totally community,” agreed Penny Little, Solstice’s executive director. “The workshop and parade bring people from all walks of life together. There’s every neurodivergent gradation of the spectrum right up to geniuses, and rich folks from Montecito working next to street people. It’s one of the most diverse things in Santa Barbara every year.” 

More importantly, the parade, on June 20 this year, and the workshop where the floats, puppets and ensembles are created, brings out not only wide swaths of the folks who live here, but also the best within us. That’s probably largely due to the rules that have been there since the beginning: no signs (not even words on t-shirts), no animals, and no motors. Nothing but ingenuity and people walking, pushing or pulling a float, dancing or otherwise moving up the street alongside their creations. And the whole thing is utterly ephemeral. After spending up to two months putting together a project, within a few hours the structure is broken back down to be recycled for future parades or art projects later on Saturday; or the piece may first be displayed elsewhere around town before its post-revelry deconstruction.  

“Somebody once said the Solstice Parade represents us more than anything because we get to express ourselves and what we think about things,” Little said. “The absence of words, logos, symbols, signs, or corporate spots keeps it in the realm of pure creativity and connection.” 

In fact, the only thing that’s commercial or involves politicians/city officials has nothing to do with businesses or politics. That would be the in-parade fundraising, where viewers are invited to toss in a dollar or two to help underwrite the costs. 

“We’ve always invited the city council and local ‘dignitaries’ to be part of our Pass-the-Hat ensemble, but this year we’re doing something different,” Little said. They’re not just holding out a stick with a hat on the end, but being part of a new ensemble designed by our newest artist-in-resident. It’s a unicorn sea horse and people will be dancing around trying to inspire people to give through fun and theatrical interactions, and playing little games along the way.” 

This year’s theme is “Waves,” perhaps a world more open to interpretation than in previous years, although folks have always taken the theme more as a… suggestion. 

“There are a lot of possibilities,” Little said. “Sound waves, light waves, radio waves, hair waves, surfing waves, and more. We’re got phenomenal fish, giant hands waving, lots of things with sound.”

Then there’s “Kiddie Pool,” which could be a real, ahem, splash of joy, as a father and daughter combo “swim” their way up the street in an actual small pool on wheels. Other folks will be getting their hair done in “permanent waves,” while entries include an oversized gramophone, an entry from Elevated Dreams Aerial Dance with kids and adults in costume free styling it up the street with ribbons, silk fans and bubbles. La Boheme Dance Troupe’s more than 100 dancers will perform in front of a 3-D rendition of the 2026 Solstice Poster design by Larry Vigon. 

Space prevents many more details here, although you can read about each of the 20-plus float/ensemble entries in newspapers and online – or better yet just be surprised on Saturday. And don’t forget the Solstice Celebration actually runs all weekend, with music and much more in Alameda Park on Friday night (when longtime local favorites Area 51 perform) and Sunday, which is devoted to area reggae music. All from the community. Where else?  

Visit www.sosticeparade.com