The Masq(p)arade! performance progressive returns to downtown Santa Barbara for a fifth year, presenting piano-based entertainment every 15 minutes, 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3.

Opening the annual Pianos on State installation, the family friendly Masq(p)arade! brings together a roster of regional performing artists for a series of short whimsical shows, each presented at a different painted piano along downtown.

“Each Masq(p)arade! act is creatively paired with an artist-designed piano, incorporating original performances and playful masked flair,” according to organizers.

The audience is invited to move from piano to piano between sets, experiencing the full lineup as a roving, interactive celebration of creativity and community.

Admission is free, and participants are encouraged to enhance the festive atmosphere by wearing theatrical masks.

Masq(p)arade! was started in 2021 as a joyful response to the isolating effects of the pandemic, offering a safe outdoor event that could bring people together through art.

The annual event has since showcased innovative, high-caliber performances from across the performing arts spectrum, from flamenco and opera to street brass and improv, all united by live piano accompaniment, organizers said.

“In five years, Masq(p)arade! has already become an eagerly anticipated local tradition,” said Casey Caldwell, executive director of the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative.

“You’d have a hard time finding anything else in Santa Barbara that brings more spontaneity and fun to our downtown,” Caldwell said.

This year’s Masq(p)arade! culminates in a final performance at the Lobero Theatre.

Masq(p)arade! 2025 lineup:

5:30-5:45 p.m. Nadine Pearson at The Red Piano, 519 State St.
6-6:15 p.m.

Haiku in C Minor at World Market, 610 State St.
6:30-6:45 p.m.

Out of the Box Theatre Company at Tondi Gelato, 401 Paseo Nuevo.


7-7:15 p.m. Konrad Kono at Bank of America, 834 State St.


7:30-7:45 p.m. Piano in the Sky at the Lobero Theatre, 33 E. Canon Perdido St.