The 2012 Summer Solstice T-shirts will be available for the first time at the Earth Day Festival this weekend in Solstice booth No. 138 in Alameda Park.
The T-shirt features the artwork of Pali X-Mano, reflecting the 2012 Solstice theme of “Fantasy.” The cost is $20 for adult shirts in black and jade, and $15 for children’s sizes.
Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration funding comes from a variety of fundraising events, proceeds from the sale of T-shirts and posters, sponsorships, personal contributions, grants and some funding from the City of Santa Barbara.
The 38th annual Summer Solstice Festival will open at 4 p.m. June 22 in Alameda Park, with an afternoon and evening of theatrical and musical entertainment until 9 p.m. The Solstice Parade will begin at noon June 23, at State and Cota streets in downtown Santa Barbara. The parade will arrive in Alameda Park, which features entertainment from noon to 8 p.m. The festival will continue from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 24.
The Solstice Children’s Festival will be held from noon to 6 p.m. June 23-24 with a variety of family and children’s activities, free art projects, booths and musical entertainment.
Executive Director Claudia Bratton said Solstice purchases thousands of dollars worth of materials, and uses South Coast businesses for insurance, printing and other products and services.
“Our festival also provides opportunities for caterers, restaurants, artisans, crafts people, and nonprofits to make money from the huge crowds that our event draws to Santa Barbara,” she said.
On Sunday June 24, live entertainment will be featured from 1:30 to 6 p.m. on the main stage with soft jazz music as well as entertainment on the children’s stage. Arts, crafts, and the beer and wine garden will be open throughout the festival.
The Summer Solstice Celebration began in 1974 and grew into Santa Barbara’s largest arts event with more than 100,000 spectators from around the world and about 1,200 parade participants. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit community organization, the Summer Solstice Celebration has become a year-round operation, bringing the community together through the arts.
The core of the Solstice celebration begins with a community arts workshop opening May 2 through the end of June. Solstice provides a paid, professional artistic staff, “artists-in-residence,” who teach and assist community members as they create floats, masks, costumes, giant puppets and banners for the parade. For more information, click here or call 805.965.3396.
— Claudia Bratton is executive director of the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration.