The all-volunteer Spirit of ’76 Association will share a major milestone with Santa Barbara residents and guests this year as it presents its 50th annual 4th of July Parade.
The theme of this year’s parade is “The Gift of Individual Liberty.” The events of the day will celebrate liberty and its place in the heart of America.
“Liberty is the essential quality of a free person who is dependent upon no other,” said Paul Lamberton, president of Spirit of ‘76. “A founding principle of the American Revolution is that every man and woman is to be as free as possible from external control over his or her life and property. Our nation’s history contains many shining examples of those who struggled to increase our ;iberty, those who used their ;iberty toward great achievements, and those who defend our ;iberty.”
The parade will take place Wednesday July 4. The grand march begins at 1 p.m. at Micheltorena Street and proceeds down State Street to Old Town Santa Barbara, concluding at Cota Street. Potential participants are invited to contact Spirit of ‘76 at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Later that day, Spirit of ’76 and Santa Barbara Music Events will present the annual Independence Day Concert at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Gardens. The concert will take place after the parade, at 4 p.m. It will be open to the public, and there will be no admission charge.
The courthouse is at the corner of Anacapa and Anapamu streets. Bring chairs, blankets and a picnic dinner.
Classical concert pianist Bryan Tari will be the event director and coordinator of all musical acts in the 4th of July concert. Tari has performed on stages, television and radio throughout the world, including at the opening ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
“We are very excited to have Bryan Tari directing the concert this year,” Lamberton said. “He is a highly respected Santa Barbara artist who will help make this beloved annual event more memorable than ever.”
The event, a long-running favorite of locals and visitors, will once again fill the Sunken Gardens with the sounds of traditional music celebrating America’s Independence Day. It will feature prominent musicians from the community, including artists from the Music Academy of the West.
Click here for more information about this year’s celebration. Spirit of `76 is a nonprofit organization. The group is nonpartisan and nonpolitical.
— Paul Lamberton is president of the Spirit of ’76 Association.
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