Coffee Culture Fest, a new community celebration of coffee, art and connection, will take place 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 28 at the Marjorie Luke Theatre and Santa Barbara Junior High campus.
Produced by eji event co. in partnership with the Marjorie Luke Theatre, the event invites community members to gather around one of the most beloved daily rituals – coffee.
“Coffee Culture Fest is, in many ways, a love letter to the simple coffee cup and the moments of connection it creates. The festival celebrates the culture that surrounds coffee and the community spaces it creates,” organizers said.
“We wanted to create something that reflects the spirit of coffee culture that is so prevalent in our community — the roasters, the makers, the connectors, and the small joyful rituals that surround the cup,” said Elly Iverson, producer of Coffee Culture Fest and founder of eji event co.
The outdoor festival will feature some 40 vendors, including regional coffee roasters, tea partners, artists, nonprofits, and local makers.
Participating coffee businesses include Dune Coffee, Zaca Coffee, Considered Coffee, Welcome Coffee Co., and others from the Central Coast.
The festival is free, with passes available that include festival cup and tastings from coffee and tea partners. $15 for students, $30 for adults. VIP Passes for $60 with exclusive lounge access.
The festival layout is ADA accessible, and event staff will provide both English and Spanish language support throughout the day. Spanish interpretation will be available for the morning panel in the Marjorie Luke Theatre, and sunflower lanyards will be available at the information tent for guests with hidden disabilities who may benefit from additional awareness and support during the event.
Attendees can explore coffee tastings with participating roasters, a coffeehouse music stage supported by Roll n Rock 805, Cafecito Conversation Tables hosted in partnership with Friends of State Street, interactive art activations, a poetry writing tent, coffee-ground seed bomb making, onsite screenprinting, and a curated makers market.
Food vendors will offer breakfast tacos, pastries, and other morning favorites, and tea tastings will be available.
Inside the Marjorie Luke Theatre, featured events will be free to the public. At 9:30 a.m., a Women’s Leadership Panel, moderated by Gwyn Lurie, founder of Giving List Women, will spotlight women leaders shaping Santa Barbara over a shared cup of joe.
At 11 a.m., the theater will host the Central Coast Latte Art Throwdown, a fast-paced competition where regional baristas go head-to-head creating intricate latte art designs in front of a live audience.
Additional educational workshops focused on roasting, brewing, and home coffee techniques will take place throughout the afternoon in the Globe Theatre.
A VIP lounge will offer a gathering space with specialty tastings and complimentary snacks. Frinj Coffee will host a featured tasting window in the lounge, 10-11 a.m., with Dune Coffee offering special tastings and featured brews later in the afternoon.
Sustainability efforts include reusable clay cups included with Coffee Pass purchases, water refill stations, and compostable service ware sponsored by the city of Santa Barbara Sustainability & Resilience Department.
The festival is made possible through support from the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture Festival Grant, title sponsor State of Mind Café and the Leni Fe Bland Performing Arts Fund, and host partner Marjorie Luke Theatre.
Public festival admission is free. Coffee tasting passes ($15/$30) and VIP passes ($60) are available at www.coffeeculturefest.com.