Nearly a century of fiesta celebrations

It may seem hard to believe, but there was a time when Santa Barbara had trouble convincing tourists to come to town. Today, California’s Mediterranean stand-in is known as a yearround playground of sparkling beaches, upscale shops and fine dining, with an ever-increasing number of celebrities making it their chosen weekend getaway from L.A. But in the 1920s, it was mostly a winter getaway – and crowds had plenty of other options if they wanted to plan a summer vacation.

You can thank those summer non-crowds for one of California’s most colorful civic parties. They call it “Old Spanish Days” formally and “Fiesta” (party in Spanish) informally, but either way, it means a nearly week-long celebration of Santa Barbara’s heritage, blending Spanish and Mexican traditions.

It’s music and dance, it’s parades and rodeo, it’s food and drink. It’s Fiesta. (And if you grew up in the Santa Barbara area, like I did, sometimes it’s “Ugh. It’s Fiesta.” But that’s not unique to Fiesta; if you grew up in the town with the Grapefruit Festival, you learn to scoff at the Grapefruit Festival. And then you go to it, and you remember that actually, it’s kind of fun.)

“Fiesta has become a source for sharing joy, happiness and love of El Desfile Historico, the Fiesta Historical Parade, right, takes to the streets of downtown Santa Barbara during Old Spanish Days each summer. Opposite: Carnival rides and dazzling lights add to the colorful mercado scene. our community as we celebrate a 94-year-old tradition of honoring our past while we make the steady march into our future,” Denise Sanford, this year’s Old Spanish Days Presidenta, said in her annual proclamation.

What the festival has become, in spite of its name, is a celebration both of Santa Barbara’s Spanish heritage and of Mexican culture, putting the two side-byside in many public events. (We will save discussions of the historical implications of colonialism for another day.)

The history of Fiesta isn’t especially complicated: According to the Old Spanish Days website, a group of the town’s business owners were looking for a way to boost summer tourism in the 1920s. The reopening of the historic Lobero Theatre after a major remodeling offered a chance for a civic celebration – and the hook that those business owners hoped to use to attract visitors for the summer season.

In 1924, city and business leaders began planning that celebration, a fiesta, in a nod to the Spaniards who had built the first mission in Santa Barbara. It would include a parade, a rodeo, a big celebration at the rebuilt theater and more. Mayor Charles Andrea proclaimed that the festival would be known as “Old Spanish Days,” and a tradition was born.

The following year, Santa Barbara was devastated by a magnitude 6.8 earthquake in June. Much of the city’s downtown was destroyed; the Mission, already rebuilt after an 1812 earthquake, was heavily damaged.

In a bit of divine inspiration, the damage to the Mission led

to one of the longest-running Fiesta traditions: In 1926, Fiesta resumed after the earthquake with a “sunset service” at the Mission. Now, La Fiesta Pequeña is the official kick-off of the festival, drawing big crowds for a sunset picnic in front of the Mission, as musicians and dancers perform on the building’s steps. The earthquake also had another effect: After much of the city’s downtown was destroyed, city officials pushed for architectural standards that promoted a common look. To this day, Santa Barbara’s signature look is heavily Mediterranean-inspired, with Spanish tile highlights and roofing a very common sight downtown.

Santa Barbara County has a rich agricultural history, and so a historical festival must include a rodeo: Both the Professional Bull Riders and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association hold events at the Earl Warren Showgrounds. Open-air markets feature Spanish and Mexican foods, crafts and gifts and live entertainment.

El Desfile de los Niños (the Children’s Parade) is always a hit; who doesn’t want to see large groups of adorable children in colorful costumes, ambling down the street while adults try to keep them going in the right direction? There are multiple events featuring performances of traditional music and dance, as well.

Finally, there’s the one thing you won’t find mentioned in all the publicity materials for Old Spanish Days: the nightlife. If you’re still down for adventure after all the pageantry of the daytime and evening events, head to State Street, where every single bar and club will be jumping. Back when he used to run basketball camps at UC Santa Barbara, Michael Jordan was known to occasionally drop by O’Malley’s and bartend, just for kicks.

If the greatest player in NBA history can’t resist Old Spanish Days, who are you to say no?