Fiesta, Five Ways

By Lisa Duncan

For one week each summer, Santa Barbara slips into Fiesta mode – flamenco skirts swirl, horses take to the streets, and seemingly everyone finds a reason to dance. This year, Old Spanish Days unfolded everywhere from the grand terraces of Bellosguardo to the Courthouse, the Zoo and the waterfront, before one last turn around the dance floor at historic El Paseo. There were tacos and tiaras, little red wagons and plenty of familiar faces. Some came for the dancing, some for the horses, some for the tacos – but everyone came for Fiesta.

Fiesta at Bellosguardo

Fiesta week began Tuesday evening in suitably grand style at Bellosguardo, where the storied estate opened its doors for guests to view the stunning artwork inside before flamenco, dinner, and dancing took over the terrace.

“It’s hard to absorb in one visit, it’s exquisite, and in remarkable condition. Can we just move in?” joked the social set of friends from Birnam Woods – Barbara Wilson, Ingrid Ingram, Linda Seiter, and Kathryne Dahlman from Kathryne Designs on CVR, who all toured the mansion together in swank summer style. 

“Flippin’ fantastic!” declared Lotusland board member Lisa Wolf of the tacos up on the terrace, with dinner courtesy of local favorite Rudy’s Mexican Food.

Wolf was joined by visiting friend Wendy St. Laurent, who divides her time between Portland and Sun Valley, as guests dined, mingled and danced on the terrace.

Performers from Cuba, Spain, and beyond included Timo Núñez, Talia Vestal and Jack Harwood, along with dancers from nonprofit Flamenco! Santa Barbara, led by María Bermúdez, bringing plenty of flamenco fire to the evening.

With music and dancing filling one of Santa Barbara’s most storied estates, Fiesta had found a suitably dramatic opening act – and the week was only getting started.

Courthouse Steps

“You can feel the crowd’s energy. It’s a special thing,” said Timo Núñez, remembering the first time a Fiesta crowd went wild for him and his sister when they were young performers.

Wednesday officially opened Old Spanish Days with La Fiesta Pequeña at the Old Mission, where the Franciscans have welcomed the community for the traditional “Little Fiesta” since 1927. The dancing continued Thursday through Saturday with Noches de Ronda in the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens.

Backstage at the Courthouse, Núñez was now watching from a different perspective. Director of the flamenco school he inherited from longtime teacher Linda Vega, the Santa Barbara native was seeing his own students experience the thrill he once did.

“I get all nerdy and giddy seeing them,” he laughed. “Seeing them on stage fulfilling their dreams is incredibly special for me.”

Núñez also takes pride in seeing young people spend their time in the studio, studying their cultural dance and researching flamenco from Spain.

“I just strive to do the same for them” as his own teachers did for him, he said.

And beneath the Courthouse lights, another generation stepped into the spotlight, and into history.

Dignatarios Gone Wild

By Thursday, Fiesta had gone positively wild as more than 1,600 revelers descended on the Santa Barbara Zoo for DIGS! (Celebración de los Dignatarios), the sold-out celebration billed as “Fiesta’s wildest party.”

“Fiesta nowadays is so much more family-oriented than in the past,” said Mayor Randy Rowse. “Now we have so many more activities and events for the little kids, and the most amazing talent I’ve ever seen in the live performances.”

Among the familiar faces on the Zoo’s hilltop were Assemblyman Gregg Hart, Congressman Salud Carbajal, Mayor Rowse, Supervisor Roy Lee, City Treasurer Kelly McAdoo, City Councilman Oscar Gutierrez, Police Chief Kelly Gordon, and Sheriff
Bill Brown.

Politics took a playful turn when Randy and Salud good-naturedly posed with the Zoo puppets on the dancefloor – bipartisan Fiesta spirit at its best. 

More than 60 local restaurants, wineries and breweries donated the custom bites and libations, with Brophy’s bringing their famous clam chowder, sampled by Gregg and deemed “Delicious!” DJ Zeke and drummer Craig Tacher kept the hilltop moving. Spirit of Fiesta Jenna Ramirez performed. Zoo President and CEO Charles Hopper and El Presidente Colin Hayward were among those addressing the zoo crowd, just a tiara’s toss from the beach. 

At Dignatarios, even the dignitaries knew how to Fiesta.

Parade of Traditions

“This is my favorite part of all of Fiesta,” said Police Chief Kelly Gordon. “To see the smiles and joy on all the kids’ faces – it’s just the best!”

Friday brought the thunder of hooves to the waterfront with El Desfile Histórico, while Saturday traded horses and carriages for little red wagons and kids’ bikes as some 2,500 participants took part in El Desfile de los Niños.

Los Niños de Las Flores scattered petals and charmed folks along the route, while the new Children’s Strolling Chorus, created in memory of Erin Graffy and led by Colleen Graffy and Erin McKibben, made an equally charming debut this year.

“Fiesta is really about families, about bringing families together in the community,” said City Councilmember Eric Friedman. “Anytime we can involve our children in our traditions, they will grow up with them and then pass them on to the next generation.”

Junior Spirit of Fiesta Penny Hernandez and Spirit of Fiesta Jenna Ramirez were among the familiar Fiesta faces, while Chief Gordon watched alongside Assistant Chief Chris Payne at the parade’s start next to the Rainbow arch. 

At the finish: free vanilla ice cream for all the kiddos at Chase Palm Park – perhaps Fiesta’s sweetest tradition. 

One Last Dance

“It was love at first sight,” recalled Mignonne Profant of the night her parents met at El Paseo during Fiesta in 1950.

Her father, John Profant, spotted the petite ballet dancer across the room and asked her to dance. At 6-foot-1 to her 5-foot-2, they made quite the pair – and an especially accomplished one: John had taught ballroom dancing to put himself through college.

“They were together forever after that,” Mignonne said.

So there could hardly be a more meaningful setting for Sunday’s John E. Profant Foundation for the Arts Fiesta Finale than El Paseo, where guests gathered for dinner, dancing and performances, including Tigran Sargsyan dancing a piece from Don Quixote.

Among those joining the finale were Dr. Mary Collier, Laurie and George Leis, Bobbie Kinnear, Katherine Murray-Morse, Sandra Stingle, Beverly Cavaliere, Diane and Ralph Waterhouse, Colleen Graffy, Kirk and Jann Greene, Bob and Mary Gates, Bill Bridge, Jenna and Avi Reichental, Gary Simpson, Jill Nida, Gretchen and Fritz Olenburger, Jeffrey Forster, Laurie Kirby, Adam McKaig, Rick and Teresa Kuskey Oshay, Dacia Harwood, Keith Moore, City Councilmember Eric Friedman and Father Larry – along with the four Profant sisters: Marie, Michèle, Mignonne and Musette Profant.

The foundation, created in John’s name, supports artists through scholarships, exhibits and performances while preserving Santa Barbara’s cultural traditions. For the Profant family, however, returning to El Paseo remains deeply personal.

“It’s just so intimate for us,” Mignonne said. Asked whether she could still feel her parents’ spirit there, her answer was immediate: “Oh, absolutely.”

After a week of Fiesta celebrations, perhaps the most fitting finale was right where one Santa Barbara love story began – on the dance floor.

Sightings 

Princess Diana’s diamond-and-sapphire butterfly earrings stole the spotlight as Meghan Markle joined Prince Harry Friday night in Victoria, B.C, for the David Foster Foundation’s 40th anniversary, pairing the sentimental jewels with a sleek Greta Constantine gown… Eva Mendes kept things low-key on CVR, stepping out with her daughters for a casual shopping day and iced coffees – keeping cool with bucket hat and a chill chocolate flowy frock… Katy Beary, a baby black bear who’s turned a Toro Canyon backyard pool into its own Montecito swimming hole, was caught on camera paddling laps while mum lounged on the pool steps savoring summer – Coral Casino style.

From Richard and Friends to all of you… Pip! Pip!

photos by Priscilla and courtesy of the Bellosguardo Foundation