This year’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta is all about love, passion and family. The theme, Fiesta Romantica, and upcoming events were announced by organizers Tuesday.  

“It was my wife who inspired me to come up with the theme Fiesta Romantica,” said this year’s El Presidente, Cas Timson, the primary architect behind the 2015 Rose Parade in Pasadena from where he originates. “I met her during 1989’s Fiesta (and) there are many people who have met through Fiesta and got married.”

Old Spanish Days Fiesta, a Santa Barbara tradition since 1924, kicks off Wednesday, Aug. 5 and ends on Sunday, Aug. 9. The expected highlight of this year is a mass renewal of vows that will occur on Thursday of Fiesta at La Misa Del Presidente at the Santa Barbara Mission, organizers said. 

The Fiesta Romantica theme inspired the new addition to the traditional Catholic morning Mass at the historical Old Mission. Timson explained that anyone who’s been married for 15 years or more can sign up to be part of the ceremony.

“It is truly ceremonial,” he said. “We will all stand up together (and) we will have a presentation. It is all in the spirit of that heart and passion that I speak so fondly of about Santa Barbara.”

Another aspect of the five-day celebration of Santa Barbara and its heritage is the many sponsors and nonprofits involved. The executive committee and Board of Directors have raised approximately $250,000, a slightly higher number than last year.

Rhonda Henderson, the second vice president of Old Spanish Days Fiesta, said their mission is to keep the event free of charge, and that she looks forward to seeing it through the eyes of the sponsors this year.

“Think of any other community,” Henderson said. “Whenever there’s a festival, there’s a fence and you pay to come in. The fact that you can take your family and sit in the Sunken Garden and watch a two-hour show for free, where else do you get that?”

But there’s no need to wait for the festivities. Fiesta Ranchera, a collaboration between Old Spanish Days and the Goleta Valley Historical Society, has its eighth annual event June 18 at Rancho La Patera and the Stow House in Goleta. Approximately 900 people are expected to attend and enjoy live music as well as appetizers and sweets from local restaurants, wineries and breweries.

“Last year was the largest event to date, I believe, and Fiesta Ranchera is now one of the largest events in Goleta,” said Erik Davis, public relations chair of Old Spanish Days Fiesta.

For more information about the upcoming events, visit sbfiesta.org.

— Noozhawk intern Linda Sturesson can be reached at lsturesson@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.