Santa Barbara’s Summer Solstice Celebration is nearly here to kick off the summer season, with the 49th annual Solstice Parade beginning at noon Saturday and the Solstice Festival taking place from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday in Alameda Park.
Local artists have been working in the Solstice Workshop since the beginning of May, creating floats, masks, costumes and more for the parade with this year’s “Roots” theme.
According to the website for the Solstice Celebration, the first Summer Solstice Parade in Santa Barbara was a birthday celebration in 1974 for local artist and mime Michael Gonzales. The parade then went along with the Summer Solstice Music Festival the following years.
“The parade and festival is the largest event in Santa Barbara County, drawing crowds of over 100,000 spectators from around the world,” the website states. “Today, the Summer Solstice Celebration has evolved into creative and original display of floats, giant puppets, whimsical costumes and masks of more than 1,000 parade participants of all ethnic and economic backgrounds.”
Some of the floats to look out for in the parade include Claudia Bratton’s float with a boat carrying her ancestors, a root beer float and barbecue ensemble created by Irene Ramirez, Pali X-Mano’s giant inflatable “Cosmic Mushroom” art sculpture, and much more.
“This year’s Summer Solstice Festival will have an extra whimsical touch that you will not want to miss,” festival activation coordinator Olivia Sorgman said in a news release. “We want our guests to enjoy being participants, not just spectators.”
This year also will debut the first-ever Solstice-themed dog fashion show “PAWject Runway,” in which dogs will be dressed up in outfits or costumes and walk the runway before a panel of judges at Alameda Park at noon on Sunday.
Registration for furry pals to enter the fashion show is $20, a portion of which will be donated to Santa Barbara Humane.
More information on PAWject Runway and how to register is available on the Solstice Parade website here.
The Solstice Parade is scheduled to begin at noon Saturday at the intersection of Ortega and Santa Barbara streets and roll up Santa Barbara Street to end at the Solstice Festival at Alameda Park at Sola Street.
The free festival is open to the public and will include a full music lineup, performers, arts and crafts, and food and merchant vendors, as well as a beer and wine garden for those age 21 or older.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Children’s Mini-Fest will be available on the Kid’s World side of the park, with the Children’s Elves and Fairies Parade occurring at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
From yoga classes and a Solstice art gallery to giant puppets and cultural exhibitions from West Africa and India, and several other activities for all ages, the Solstice Festival has something for everyone.
Street closures during the Solstice Parade include complete street closures of Santa Barbara Street between East Cota and East Micheltorena streets from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and partial road closures around the Solstice Workshop, at 631 Garden St., beginning at 7 a.m.