After six years, holiday parades are coming back to Santa Barbara’s State Street.
As part of Tuesday’s budget discussion, the Santa Barbara City Council unanimously directed staff to work with the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association to reinstate the Downtown Holiday Parade and find $50,000 to fund the event.
“It is important to have the holiday parade back this year for what it will do for downtown, just bring the energy back downtown,” Councilman Eric Friedman said. “The last one was 2019, so it’s time we have it.”
The funding could come from sources other than the city, such as community groups or nonprofit organizations.
Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon also asked staff to explore bringing the Summer Solstice Parade to State Street next summer.
“I can’t really see any reason why we don’t have the Solstice on State Street,” she said.
The popular parade moved to Santa Barbara Street after the city closed downtown State Street to vehicles and added restaurant parklets and planters in the roadway.
The council also directed staff to work with the organizers of the Milpas Street Holiday Parade to find additional funding while reducing staff and costs associated with the event.
Councilwoman Wendy Santamaria said the event brings businesses together, and after last year’s cancellation, the city should do what it can to support the parade.
“It’s the economically sound thing to do if we want to continue to bring revenues to our city beyond just the summer events,” Santamaria said.
She also asked staff to look into the policing at the event, claiming that organizers have told her that there are more officers at the event than what’s needed.
“If we can ease the burden and demand on our Police Department, we should,” Santamaria said.
Sneddon noted that the city spends $55,000 on a contract with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office to aid the Santa Barbara Police Department with enforcement during Old Spanish Days Fiesta. She suggested taking some of that money and putting it toward the holiday parade.
Assistant Police Chief Marylinda Arroyo said the Police Department needs the extra support during the August festival.
“We would not be able to provide the public safety that we deem adequate and necessary if we weren’t able to use the sheriff’s department,” Arroyo said.
Mayor Randy Rowse was strongly against any cuts to policing, saying it was needed to help keep the peace, especially during events such as Fiesta where a lot of people are drinking.
“There’s no such thing as too many cops, whether it’s on Milpas Street, whether it’s during Solstice, or whether it’s during the Fiesta Parade,” Rowse said. “That’s where a lot of the expense has to go to and that is well justified. I wouldn’t want to compromise on public safety for a moment.”
It’s the second time the council has debated policing during a budget discussion.
Last week, tensions flared over a proposal to freeze three vacant police positions, which would have saved the city $576,000. Santamaria was the only council member who supported the freeze.
The council couldn’t make any decisions regarding Fiesta policing without representatives from the event present, but Sneddon did ask staff to explore ways to reduce Fiesta expenses in future years.
