Goleta Valley residents gather for a potluck dinner at the seventh annual Goleta Dam Dinner on Saturday evening. 
The Salt Martians Bluegrass Band performs at the seventh annual Goleta Dam Dinner by Lake Los Caneros on Saturday evening. 
Goleta started holding community Dam Dinners at Lake Los Carneros in 2012. 
Goleta Valley residents gather for a potluck dinner at the seventh annual Goleta Dam Dinner on Saturday evening. 
Goleta residents gather at the 2019 Dam Dinner. 
Lake Los Carneros serves as the backdrop of the seventh annual Goleta Dam Dinner.
Several hundred residents enjoyed a communal dining experience at the seventh annual Goleta Dam Dinner by Lake Los Carneros on Saturday evening.
Representatives from the Goleta Chamber of Commerce, the Goleta Valley Historical Society, the City of Goleta and area businesses organized the free event adjacent to the historic Rancho La Patera & Stow House, 304 N. Los Carneros Road.
Goleta Valley citizens brought their own food and drinks while enjoying the music of the Salt Martians Bluegrass Band. The Neighbor Tim's BBQ food truck served up mouthwatering dishes during the two-hour event.
Mayor Paula Perotte said she attended for the seventh year.
The Goleta Dam Dinner began in 2013, and every year the crowd gets bigger, Perotte said. More than 400 people made reservations this year.
“It has grown over the years,” she said. “I like it because there is no agenda. It’s everybody meeting their neighbors. Some people have never been here before and breaking bread with each other.”
Guests share dessert at the event, Perotte said, adding that “it’s another way to mingle because you go table to table until your dessert runs out.”
Perotte offered her homemade peanut butter cookies.
The gathering is held at one of the city’s most scenic locations, featuring panoramic views of the Santa Ynez Mountains and surrounded by wildlife and trees.
“Look how beautiful this is,” an attendee said while walking toward the yellow tablecloth unfurled atop the large community table.
The 25-acre lake is accessible through several walking paths and trails from Covington Way, Los Carneros Road, Calle Real and North La Patera Lane.
Large-scale potluck dinners are gaining popularity along the Santa Barbara County South Coast. The Santa Barbara, Carpinteria and Montecito communities have turned out in force for The Common Table organized by the Lois & Walter Capps Project.
— 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.