Tag archives: Old Spanish Days

On Saturday May 21, 2022, Fiesta La Presidente Maria Cabrera unveiled this year’s Old Spanish Days poster and pin. The pin is a 3D silver fan that serves as a common symbol during Fiesta performances and in the crowds to fight off heat. The poster features an archived watercolor by Arthur Beaumont with printing by […]

Old Spanish Days (OSD) is in its 98th year, and this year after the pandemic OSD is back in all its glory – flamenco, flowers, mercados, horses, and a parade with a new route. It will run the length of Cabrillo Boulevard from the traditional parade start at Castillo Street to the Hilton Hotel. Participants […]

My congratulations to my friend and Journal colleague Lynn Kirst who has achieved sainthood! Our illustrious organ’s bridle correspondent has been selected to portray Saint Barbara in this year’s Old Spanish Days fiesta by the 121-year-old Reina Del Mar No.126 of Native Daughters of the Golden West. In a tradition that dates back to 1926, […]

Plans are being laid out for Old Spanish Days to have a full and safe Fiesta in 2022. La Presidenta Maria Cabrera will lead the organization into its 98th year. She has been a community volunteer for many years.  “As we come out of restrictions and a new changing community, we look forward to meeting […]

While Fiesta Pequeña at the Mission and Noches de Ronda at the Courthouse Sunken Gardens were cancelled after the significant uptick in coronavirus infections, La Recepcion del Presidente at the Carriage & Western Museum with 200 guests went ahead as planned, raising nearly $50,000 for Old Spanish Days. Drew Wakefield served as emcee and auctioneer, […]

Fiesta fever was palpable at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum when Tablao Museo, an energized flamenco show for 230 guests, took place under the stars. The pulsating event on a sultry summer night was organized by museum director Dacia Harwood and featured musicians and dancers from our Eden by the Beach to Spain who shared […]

After 61 years, Gil Rosas will return to the El Paseo Restaurant    on August 8 to recreate a photo made in 1960, helping the Profant Foundation host the Fiesta Finale Gala that has created hundreds of scholarships for artists of all ages over the past 21 years. The gala, organized by Musette Profant, includes […]

Fiesta Ranchera in Goleta is back in a smaller way. Instead of 1,000 attendees, there were not more than 100, but that didn’t stop the celebrants. They were just happy to see friends and neighbors without masks — some for the first time in a year. Stow House was the background for the fête, and […]

“Welcome home!” exclaimed Lobero Associates President Mindy Denson as the group gathered for the first time since the pandemic. We were sitting under the new sail ceiling in the courtyard — a gift from the Associates to the Lobero Theatre. The sun and shade danced above us while a nice breeze flowed throughout. It’s a […]

To the Mayor, City Council Members: 4th of July my family and I took a walk down upper State Street in Santa Barbara. As we walked, we had concerns about the planning by the city to provide a safe sidewalk. We also wondered if there would ever be another parade down State Street. The heritage of […]

“La Primavera” means springtime and came from the annual season when hides and tallow trade ships arrived to do business in Santa Barbara — a big industry for many decades. The rancheros would join together for the cattle round-up and get together for a meal and a party with dancing and entertainment during those old […]

After Old Spanish Days was all but cancelled last year because of the pandemic, Fiesta fever was palpable at the Carriage and Western Art Museum with La Primavera, as the unveiling of the colorful festival’s new poster and pin helped kicked off the festivities in front of nearly 100 guests, led by gloriously attired La […]

Yes, it’s time to think about that 97 year-old-fun fest, Old Spanish Days (OSD). To start the Fiesta year off La Presidenta 2021 was just announced, Stephanie Petlow. She has lived here for many years and served on the OSD board for 20 years. Her leadership team is primer Alex Castellanos, vice presidente; David Bolton, […]

The Santa Barbara Historical Museum is one of the cultural gems of our city with a collection of more than 80,000 irreplaceable objects and artifacts relating to Santa Barbara’s extraordinary past. For local history it’s a must. The museum complex was constructed in 1965 by the Santa Barbara Historical Society (now called Museum), which was […]

This week, both sides of State Street would typically be lined with crowds watching men and women wearing traditional Mexican costumes parading on horseback or dancing in formation from one end of town to the other. But thanks to COVID-19, the annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta has been called off for the first time since […]

Though the beautiful and elegant Fiesta del Museo is cancelled this year, Project Fiesta: A History of Old Spanish Days is not. And what better place to see the latest exhibition than outdoors in the spacious and beautiful courtyard of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, where fresh air and social distancing create an idyllic environment? […]

Virtually all of Old Spanish Days’ annual celebration of the city’s heritage have been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. But apparently even a deadly disease can’t rain metaphorically on the most popular events in the five-day Fiesta as the 2020 El Desfile Historico has been reimagined as the Caravan Fiesta Parade. As always, […]

Montecito Bank & Trust gave its annual Fiesta party in their historic building at 1010 State Street. According to Chairman and CEO Janet Garufis it was completed in 1921 for County National Bank and is an historic landmark. Its design is Italianate, popular at the time and related to the Medici family chapel, an extension […]

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more bubbly and enthusiastic supporter of Old Spanish Days Fiesta than Barbara Carroll, a Santa Barbara native who serves as a litigation attorney for a prestigious local firm when she’s not busy shouting “Viva La Fiesta!” for the better part of a week in mid-summer. Which is good news […]

Fiesta Ranchera celebrated its 12th anniversary with a sold-out bash for more than 800 guests at the 147-year-old Rancho La Patera and Stow House in Goleta, raising around $60,000 split equally between Old Spanish Days and the 52-year-old Goleta Valley Historical Society. The colorful gala, co-chaired by Tim Aceves, Gaia Zellet, and Hatty Husband, featured […]