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Hundreds of people headed to Rancho La Patera and Stow House on Thursday evening for Fiesta Ranchera, Goleta’s kickoff to the annual Old Spanish Days celebration.
The event had booths of appetizers, desserts and drinks from local restaurants, and flamenco dance performances by this year’s Spirit of Fiesta and Junior Spirit.
This year’s Spirit of Fiesta Talia Ortega Vestal, a Santa Barbara High student, and Junior Spirit Natalie Mowers, a student at Hollister School, will be dancing throughout the annual Fiesta celebration, which culminates in a days-long festival from July 30 to Aug. 3.
Fiesta is celebrating 90 years, while it’s the seventh year for Fiesta Ranchera.
The Goleta event’s proceeds fund Old Spanish Days and the Goleta Valley Historical Society.
— Noozhawk news editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.