Spirit of Fiesta Norma Escárcega dances her way along West Cabrillo Boulevard during the 2017 El Desfile Histórico, a highlight of Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta. 
A Fiesta flower girl tosses brightly colored roses and daisies into the crowd along State Street during the parade. 
The popular confetti-filled eggs known as cascarones were in abundant supply Friday during the annual Fiesta historical parade in Santa Barbara. 
2017 Fiesta La Presidenta Rhonda Henderson waves to the crowd during El Desfile Histórico. “During Fiesta, and a lot of other festivals, there is no larger opening of our city — not just for visitors but also residents,” she says. 
A rider and horse entertain the crowd during the annual Fiesta historical parade in Santa Barbara on Friday. 
Robin Hill Cederlof, this year’s Saint Barbara for Old Spanish Days, rides a float along Santa State Street during Friday’s historical parade. 
Sheriff’s Deputy Marco Diaz is lassoed during Friday’s Old Spanish Days historical parade. 
Scores of horses particpated in Friday’s Old Spanish Days historical parade. 
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown rides up State Street in El Desfile Histórico during Old Spanish Days Fiesta. 
A float depicting the Santa Barbara MIssion makes its way down the parade route. 
Lia Parker, first Spirit of Fiesta, waves to the crowd along the parade route.
Colorful floats along with high-spirited music, dancing, confetti and galloping horses marked Friday’s 93rd annual El Desfile Histórico, the historical parade that is a highlight of Santa Barbara's Old Spanish Days Fiesta.
Spectators, with chairs and blankets, went the extra mile to secure front-row views along the parade route on State Street and the west end of Cabrillo Boulevard.
The annual Fiesta celebration is known as one of the largest equestrian parades in the nation, featuring more than 600 horses, dancers, antique carriages, coaches, floats and wagons.
This year, 77 groups from all over Southern California participated.
El Desfile Histórico featured color guard flag carriers, historical reenactments by nonprofit organizations and clubs, appearances from U.S. Forest Service representatives and local officials, including the City Council members and Police Chief Lori Luhnow.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Mounted Unit and mounted police groups from across California waved at Santa Barbarans and out-of-towners filling the streets.
High school marching bands and mariachi groups in wide-brimmed sombreros with drums, guitars and trumpets got people's — and horses' — feet moving.
Always a crowd favorite, Western riders dressed in traditional costumes displayed their mounts’ side-stepping dance moves and trotting demonstrations to the lively music.
More than 140 Fiesta Flower Girls led the parade for the 69th consecutive year.
The girls, ages 6 to 17, tossed brightly colored roses and daisies into the crowd from their baskets and welcomed thousands of onlookers with the greeting of “Viva la Fiesta!”
The group was accompanied by Las Senoritas, former flower girls who help supervise and mentor the young ambassadors for Old Spanish Days.
Miniature therapy horses and their handlers, dressed in traditional style outfits from Mexico, followed.
Spirit of Fiesta Norma Escárcega, adorning in a white flamenco outfit, and several costumed dancers behind her charmed viewers with their dance moves along the parade course.
Musicians from Mariachi Mexicanisimo, a group that has been participating in the parade for 11 years, provided musical accompaniment for the Spirit of Fiesta.
The 2017 Saint Barbara, Robin Hill Cederlof, and Junior Spirit, Eve Flores, also made a special appearance.
The Santa Barbara Firefighters Association and The Castro Family Party float closed the parade, drawing thunderous cheers from the crowd.
Standing amid the sidewalk of multicolored confetti on the corner of Carrillo and State streets was Lindsay Terifay.
She traveled from Hollywood to visit a friend in Santa Barbara.
“It’s my first time watching the parade, and I’m blown away with how great it is,” Terifay said.
“The confetti is fun.”
The Fiesta celebrations continue through Sunday and a full schedule of events can be found here.
— Noozhawk staff writer Brooke Holland can be reached at bholland@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
