More than 100 dogs in colorful costumes paraded down State Street with their owners on Saturday for Old Spanish Days’ inaugural Fiesta dog parade.
Old Spanish Days’ Fiesta takes place every year in early August. Colin Hayward, the 2026 El Presidente, said he organized the parade ahead of the August celebrations “to give more people a reason to feel connected to Fiesta in 2026.”
Led by this year’s Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta — Jenna Ramirez, 19, and Penelope “Penny” Hernandez, 10 — the parade started at 11 a.m. at De La Guerra Plaza, where participants walked along the 800 block of State Street before gathering at Paseo Nuevo Mall.
At the mall, local dog-focused groups tabled, including the event’s main sponsor, Santa Barbara Humane.
The event’s DJ, Darla Bea, was amazed at the turnout.
“It was just giving people a little taste of Old Spanish Days, fiestas, and giving them some information for their pets,” Bea said. “…I know Santa Barbara really loves our dogs.”
Attendee Ceci Hernandez said she found out about the parade through Instagram. She has a love for dogs and animals and thought the event looked like a lot of fun.
“Watching them come out at the very beginning was my favorite part,” Hernandez said.
She believed that this should be an annual event because it “brings a lot of smiles, a lot of joy.”
Parade walker Peter Stein was thrilled at the news that Old Spanish Days had organized a dog parade.
“Once I heard about it, I thought, ‘How could I pass it up?’” Stein said.
Stein walked with his dog Zera, a small terrier dressed in a purple fiesta dress. He said he stayed until the very end of the event, chatting with other participants.
“I take my hat off for all the people who came with their dogs, and all of their outfits were fantastic,” Stein said.
Community members were also invited to join a dog costume contest, where four awards were given out.
Three celebrity judges — John Palminteri from KEYT, Catherine Remak from K-LITE 101.7 and Robin Elander from the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association — were in charge of selecting winners for Most Fiesta Spirit, Best Group Entry, Best Wagon or Stroller, and the Best in Show.
All three judges joined the crowd of contestants and closely examined the dogs before landing on the lucky four.
Prizes ranged from pet supplies to gift cards to businesses located in Paseo Nuevo. A photo op was held for the winners and organizers at the very end of the event.
“We are so pleased this first Fiesta Dog Parade turned out to be such a success,” Hayward said. “The setting was perfect and the energy was tremendous. It was a memorable day.”