The Fourth of July is nearly here, and several family-friendly events and festivities such as parades, fireworks and more are planned throughout Santa Barbara County to celebrate.
Unless otherwise noted, all of the following events are free and open to all ages.
Santa Barbara
The City of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront and Parks & Recreation departments are again hosting their annual waterfront festivities, with a street fair with food and vendor booths along the Cabrillo Boulevard sidewalk at West Beach from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Live music will be available at the West Beach bandstand, sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Community Foundation, from noon to 9 p.m. Other live music offerings and free face painting will be available on Stearns Wharf beginning at noon.
Fireworks will be launched from West Beach at about 9 p.m.
Additionally, the Santa Barbara Foresters will be playing against the SLO Blues at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pershing Park. Adult tickets are $7, while tickets for seniors and children ages 4 through 12 are $3; children younger than age 3 get in for free.
The Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation is holding a free concert at 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Sunken Gardens. The annual concert will feature performances from the Vandenberg Space Force Base Honor Guard, the Prime Time Band and Polynesian dancers from Hula Anyone.
Goleta
While the City of Goleta is not hosting any official fireworks shows, the Goleta Valley Historical Society is hosting its Old Town Fourth of July event at Stow House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday. Admission for adults is $10 and children admission is $5.
The event will feature live music from The Stray Herd and Donna Greene & The Roadside Daddies, and activities include tractor rides, face painting for kids, an exhibit by the Central Coast Vintage Machinery Association, vendors, food and coffee trucks, and more.
Montecito
The Montecito Association is holding the Village Fourth Road Show, a car parade starting at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday along San Ysidro Road at upper Manning Park, and driving through neighborhoods along North Jameson Lane and Coast Village Road, Hot Springs Road and East Valley Road.
Carpinteria
An Independence Parade will take place in downtown Carpinteria at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, starting on Linden Avenue. Carpinterians of the Year Gregg and GeriAnn Carty will be the grand marshals of the parade.
The annual Rods and Roses car show will precede the parade, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday on Linden Avenue.
The Carpinteria Lions Club is hosting its annual Fourth of July community barbecue from noon to 3 p.m. at Lions Park, at 6197 Casitas Pass Road. Tri-tip and chicken will be served and games, raffle prizes and more will be featured.
Tickets for the barbecue are $18 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for children, and will be available for purchase on the day of the event.
Santa Ynez Valley
The Solvang Rotary Club will start off the Fourth of July festivities in Solvang with its parade beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday along Mission Drive at the entrance of the Old Mission Santa Inès. State Route 246 from Fifth Street to Pine Street will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. to accommodate the parade.
Following the parade, the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club will host the Fourth of July Festival and Fireworks Show at Old Mission Santa Inès from noon to 10 p.m. The festival will include merchant and food vendors, live entertainment, beer and wine for those age 21 or older, and more.
The festival’s fireworks show will begin promptly at 9 p.m.
Admission is $15 and children age 12 or younger are free when accompanied by an adult. Active military with ID can receive up to four complimentary passes by showing their ID at the entrance.
Lompoc
The City of Lompoc is hosting a free Fourth of July Family Fun Day at Ryon Park, with a bike parade at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday starting at the Lompoc Veterans Memorial Building and ending at Ryon Park.
Starting at noon, live music from The Fossils will be featured, as well as food trucks, inflatables, face painting and more.
Fireworks, smoking, vaping and alcohol consumption are not permitted at the event, and pets must be leashed.
Santa Maria
The City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department is hosting a Star Spangled Jamboree from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center, 600 S. McClelland St.
The event will feature live music by local band Rock Odyssey beginning at 1 p.m., as well as food trucks and vendors, a family open house at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center, and free activities for all ages.