SBCVB&FC CONTACT: 

Gena Downey, Director of Communications

SANTA BARBARA CONFERENCE & VISITORS BUREAU AND FILM COMMISSION

805.966.9222 ∙ gena@santabarbaraca.com

 

Santa Barbara's Signature Festivals

 

March 2012 (Santa Barbara, Calif.) - Whichever time of year you visit, Santa Barbara's cultural calendar is packed with eclectic events feting everything from food and wine to sun goddesses and the city's Spanish heritage with signature festivals like epicure.sb, the infamous Summer Solstice Parade and Fiesta's Old Spanish Days. The following is a selection of Santa Barbara's best events and signature festivals scheduled through summer and fall.

 

2012/2013 SIGNATURE EVENT CALENDAR

 

- Ongoing: 1st Thursday - an evening of arts and culture in downtown Santa Barbara on the first Thursday of every month. santabarbaradowntown.com

 

- Ongoing: Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show - an al fresco showcase of local artists' works every Sunday along Cabrillo Boulevard steps from East Beach. santabarbaraartsandcraftsshow.com

 

- April 2012: Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival Weekend - Sip and savor world-class pinot noirs and chardonnays in a simple, down home atmosphere at the Santa Barbara County Vintners' Festival. This much anticipated event attracts wine lovers from near and far for an opportunity to meet local vintners, taste their wines and enjoy great food and music over a long spring weekend in April. sbcountywines.com

- April-Nov., 2012: Santa Barbara Bowl Season - For a ceiling of real stars, catch a show at this spectacular naturally formed amphitheater nestled in the foothills. As the largest coastal city between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Santa Barbara bowl attracts big-name musical talent during the April-through-November season. This year's show schedule features Radiohead, Florence + The Machine, Beck, Bon Iver, The Beach Boys' 50th Anniversary Tour, Sugarland and more. sbbowl.org

 

- April 21-22, 2012: Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival - Often considered the birthplace of the modern environmental movement, Santa Barbara's "Ecotopian" roots run deep, especially at the city's nationally acclaimed Earth Day Festival. From a cutting-edge green car show to over 200 exhibitors, Santa Barbara's Earth Day Festival draws thousands of eco-minded attendees each April. sbearthday.org

 

- April 27-29, 2012: Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival - The annual event highlights the beginning of the Strawberry Season as well as the importance of the strawberry industry to the local economy. It also strives to showcase both the variety and taste of local berries.
60,000 attendees expected. santamariafairpark.com

 

- May 26-28, 2012: i madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival - The plaza of the Old Mission is transformed with 200 colorful street paintings created by 400 artists. imadonnarifestival.com

 

- June 2, 2012: Los Olivos Jazz and Olive Festival - Spend a Saturday afternoon in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, tasting wine from twenty five local wineries, listening to world-class, professional jazz musicians, and sampling thirty different olive themed dishes prepared by local chefs. losolivosrotary.org

- June 18-Aug. 11, 2012: Music Academy of the West Summer Festival - Every year, talented young musicians attend the prestigious Music Academy of the West Summer Festival to hone their crafts. The students perform in more than 200 concerts and "masterclasses" - ensemble "lessons" that are open to the public - held in venues throughout town, including the Academy's Mediterranean-style "Miraflores" estate in Montecito. musicacademy.org

 

- June 22-24, 2012: Summer Solstice Celebration - This signature festival features more than 1,000 parading participants, extravagant floats, whimsical costumes and creatively choreographed dancing ensembles. From its beginnings as a small parade featuring street artists, the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration is now the premier Santa Barbara County arts event, drawing crowds of over 100,000 spectators from around the world. solsticeparade.com

- June 30, 2012: Santa Barbara Wine Festival - Swirl, sip and savor at this alfresco event where 70 Central Coast wineries pour tastings alongside savory and sweet culinary delights. A summertime favorite, the festival takes place at the picturesque Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History under a canopy of oak trees and among wooded walking trails. sbnature.org/winefestival

- July 19-21, 2012: California Wine Festival includes three days/nights of tasting events throughout downtown Santa Barbara and on the waterfront. californiawinefestival.com

 

- July 28-29, 2012: Santa Barbara Greek Festival dishes out the sights, sounds, aromas and flavors of Greece at Oak Park. santabarbaragreekfestival.com

- Aug. 1-5, 2012: Old Spanish Days Fiesta - Santa Barbara's largest annual celebration started in 1924 and features parades, rodeo, dancing and more. oldspanishdays-fiesta.org

- Throughout Oct. 2012: epicure.sb - An annual celebration of cuisine, libations and culture, epicure.sb presents signature festivals, cooking classes, winemakers' dinners, seasonal menus, epicurean-inspired art exhibits and many more ways to taste the very best of Santa Barbara! epicuresb.com

- Oct. 5-7, 2012: California Avocado Festival - Take a bite out of "Avofest," an epicurean, entertaining and educational trifecta with delicious food, live music, kids' activities, arts and crafts, and the world's largest bowl of guacamole. avofest.com

 

- Oct. 2012: Celebration of Harvest - Celebrate the 2011 harvest at Rancho Sisquoc Winery with wine tastings from 110+ wineries and delicious bites crafted with locally sourced ingredients by the area's best restaurants. sbcountywines.com

- Oct. 13, 2012: Santa Barbara Harbor & Seafood Festival - Reel in the fresh-caught fun at the thriving Santa Barbara Harbor with delicious seafood specialties, cooking demonstrations, interactive maritime education, children's activities, boat rides and more. harborfestival.org

- Oct. 20-21, 2012: California Lemon Festival - Squeeze every last drop of fun from this family-friendly festival with kids' rides and activities, the annual Goleta Fall Classic Car Show, a pie-eating contest, lemon-infused food tastings and more. lemonfestival.com

- Nov. 1-3, 2011: New Noise Santa Barbara Digital Music Conference & Festival - a unique celebration of music, bringing together more than 100 artists and speakers to discuss (and demonstrate) the convergence of music and technology. newnoisesb.com

 

- Dec. 7, 2011: Downtown Holiday Parade - The highly anticipated Holiday Parade will once again amuse more than 50,000 spectators as giant helium balloons float down State Street amidst magnificent marching bands, fabulous floats and spectacular performance groups in elaborate, colorful costumes to charm the audience! santabarbaradowntown.com

 

- Dec. 9, 2011: Parade of Lights - Festivities begin at Santa's Village on Stearns Wharf. Santa is coming, and he's bringing 10 tons of snow for children to play in. As night falls, thousands of spectators cheer on boats decorated with inventive light displays, and a fireworks show and awards ceremony follows. Admission is free. santabarbaraca.gov

 

- January 2012/ February 2013: Film Feast - Santa Barbara rolls out the red carpet for film lovers and food fans during the star-studded Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The 11-day celebration of cinema coincides with this prix fixe dining program available at dozens of downtown eateries. sbfilmfeast.com

 

- January 2012/ February 2013: Santa Barbara International Film Festival - Spanning 11 days and screening hundreds of films, this world-renowned festival attracts Hollywood superstars such as Angelina Jolie, Kate Winslet and Will Smith. sbfilmfestival.org

 

- March 2013: International Orchid Show - The longest-running orchid show in the United States, this three-day floral extravaganza draws top growers and gardening aficionados for exotic garden displays, fine art and photography exhibitions, potting demonstrations and more! The extensive sales area features vendors from all over the world, and local orchid nurseries hold open houses and special sales. sborchidshow.com

- March 2013: Taste of Solvang - The annual "Taste of Solvang" Food & Wine Festival offers a showcase of delectable desserts, a "walking smorgasbord," a wine-tasting room tour, a picnic and entertainment in Solvang Park and more! solvangusa.com

Considered the northernmost point of Southern California and the southernmost point of Northern California, Santa Barbara spans 100 miles of pristine coastline. Santa Barbara is known as The American Riviera® thanks to its Spanish-Revival architecture, rich heritage, world-renowned food-and-wine scene, stunning natural beauty and near-perfect weather. Stay informed about Santa Barbara news with our Media Center, press releases and blog, TheSBPost.com. Just getting to know Santa Barbara? The Media Field Guide is a great place to start. Planning a research visit? Use the Press Trip Request form to get the process started. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates, and download our Sip & Savor mobile app for food-and-wine news.

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