[Click here for a related Noozhawk photo gallery from Fritz Olenberger of Old Spanish Days.]
Old Spanish Days Fiesta honored Santa Barbara’s roots with its annual El Desfile De Los Niños on Saturday. By 10 a.m., families had lined both sides of downtown State Street with their beach chairs and picnic blankets, eagerly awaiting the beloved Children’s Parade.
The parade attracted youth groups from throughout Santa Barbara County. Dozens of organizations and many families celebrated the 84th anniversary of the Fiesta tradition.
Santa Barbara dance companies danced their ways down State Street, and members of the Santa Barbara Gymnastics Club showed off their cartwheel and split moves.
Dancers from Linda Vega Dance Studio were dressed in elaborate costumes and demonstrated a choreographed routine at stop lights. The dancers were mostly young girls ages 5-16.
In addition, educational organizations such as Head Start and the Isla Vista Youth Projects marched down State Street displaying their banners. Both organizations work hard to educate Santa Barbara youth from less-fortunate socio-economic backgrounds.
Participants ahouted “¡Viva La Fiesta!” and received warm responses and enthusiastic cheers from the parade’s many spectators.
Children dressed in elaborate costumes celebrated Fiesta by throwing cascarones at family and friends. The hollowed-out chicken eggs are filled with confetti, and as a result, confetti blanketed the streets.
The parade is organized by the Santa Barbara Parks & Recreation Department, and more than 2,500 children (and their families) participate each year.
Families and youth organizations from throughout the county are invited to march in the parade each year, and applications can be found on the Fiesta website.
Many organizations and families return year after year to celebrate Santa Barbara’s most popular cultural festival.
Click here for more information about Old Spanish Days Fiesta.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Allyson Werner can be reached at awerner@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
