Tag archives: fun

It’s in the Bag:Throw Down Cornhole Festival Invades Ventura
By Steven Libowitz   |   August 30, 2022

When he brought cornhole to Ventura 12 years ago, John Karayan just thought he was adding a bit of fun to the second year of the annual summer block party he organized on the street in front of Spencer Makenzie’s, his popular casual dining seafood restaurant near downtown Ventura.  “We had bands play all day […]

Solstice Shines on Parade
By Joanne A Calitri   |   July 5, 2022

To bring some Shine into the summer, the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade returned on June 25 with that theme, and a new route up Santa Barbara Street. Perhaps it should have been on this historic road all along. An estimated over 100,000 attendees paid homage to the sun, and yes, ‘60s hippies crawled out of […]

Block Party Revival 
By Joanne A Calitri   |   May 10, 2022

Spring has sprung, bringing with it the revival of our town’s neighborhood block parties. Recent Montecito town gatherings were the Holiday Tree decorating on San Ysidro Lane in December, and the last block party in April 2019 before the lockdowns. Both events were spawned by members from the Montecito Association, whose love of our town […]

Gwendolyn’s Playground: A Project That Will Put Us in Rare Company
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   December 7, 2021

On November 12, on an enchanting property in Montecito’s Hedgerow kindly donated by the Winn and Twining families, nearly 300 people came together to the Butterfly Ball, an event to support Santa Barbara residents Bill and Victoria Strong and their quest to build a state-of-the-art, truly inclusive playground for kids and adults alike. Gwendolyn’s Playground […]

It’s Magic
By Richard Mineards   |   March 12, 2020

You can’t get much of a greater span in approaches to magic than the acts appearing on It’s Magic!, whose 63rd edition, which annually showcases different types of magic – from subtle sleight of hand to big-stage illusions, performs two shows at the Lobero on Saturday, March 14. On the one hand, we’ll see Michael […]

Lessons in Lifelong Learning
By Ernie Witham   |   January 30, 2020

After six years of high school, I figured there was nothing else to learn. (Just kidding… it only took me five years to graduate.) But I was wrong. Soon I got a job and found I needed new skills. “So, I won’t be needing Algebra or English Lit?” “No, and you probably won’t need your […]

Fun and Games
By Ashleigh Brilliant   |   June 27, 2019

It doesn’t take much to make me happy. One of my simplest joys is finding a coin in the street – usually a penny, but sometimes something larger, and, once in a great while, a paper dollar or more. I bring these treasures home, and put them in a row on top of a bureau. […]

Montecito Union School Carnival
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   May 30, 2019

It’s carnival time at MUS! This Saturday, June 1, hundreds of kids and their parents will descend on the Montecito Union School campus for the popular school tradition. The event is an old-fashioned day of fun with rides, games, raffles, food, entertainment, and more. The Carnival this year includes several mechanical rides including a 25-ft. […]

Block Party in Montecito
By Montecito Journal   |   April 26, 2018

(Editor’s note: The following was sent to us from Mindy Denson.) Montecito residents living on Santa Rosa Lane, San Ysidro, Lemon Grove, Sea Cliff, Court Place, and Mira Monte attended the bash last weekend, with typical fare including hotdogs and burgers with all the fixins! Everyone brought side dishes such as the homemade potato salad […]

Celebration in Upper Village
By Kelly Mahan Herrick   |   March 1, 2018

More than 1,000 people turned out to the upper village February 24, for a day of shopping, music, food, and reconnecting with business owners whose shops and eateries were closed for multiple weeks in December and January. Organized by a group of volunteers, the day included kid-friendly craft activities, musical acts at multiple stages, food […]