The 2026 Old Spanish Days Fiesta in Santa Barbara will expand its Mercado De La Guerra to the 700 and 800 blocks of State Street this August, El Presidente Colin Hayward announced Tuesday.

Standing alongside 2026 Spirit of Fiesta Jenna Ramirez, Hayward also said a beer garden will be added to the center of De La Guerra Plaza.

Mercado De La Guerra has been part of the Old Spanish Days Fiesta since the 1930s. Traditionally, most of the Old Spanish Days’ official food and other vendors have been clustered in the plaza next to Santa Barbara City Hall.

Hayward said the decision to expand this year was “facilitated by the city” of Santa Barbara.

“The pedestrian traffic will… be flowing more into State Street than just in the De La Guerra Plaza as it had been traditionally,” Hayward said. “People will be able to come here, have more fun, and bring more business chances here for the community.”

The hope is that this expansion will be permanent, he said.

He added that the Old Spanish Days team has been working on a beer garden “for many, many years,” and was finally able to make it happen with the help of the Santa Barbara Police Department and the City of Santa Barbara.

Mercado De La Guerra will run Aug. 5-8. Organizers are still accepting vendor applications, Hayward said.

The full slate of Fiesta events can be seen here.