Bilingual ride fuses art, health and wellness, culture, indigenous contributions, and Day of the Dead Celebrations

Chicano Culture de Santa Barbara is hosting the third annual Mural Bike Ride, Saturday, Oct. 27. Cyclists will meet at 9:30 a.m. near the footbridge on Santa Barbara City College East Campus for bike and helmet safety checks, and will depart at 10:15 a.m.

Now in its third year, the ride has become a popular Latinx cultural event in Santa Barbara with more than 100 riders last year.

This year’s theme is focused on drug- and alcohol-free lifestyles with the Youth Wellness Coalition of South Santa Barbara County as a partner, and speakers advocating for urban biking as a healthy social and cultural activity.

Participants will ride five miles through the Eastside and Westside neighborhoods, and visit six iconic murals with local artists and leaders.

Stops include Ortega Park, Santa Barbara High School, Bohnett Park, Public Market, and the Dolphin Pountain at the foot of Stearn’s Wharf, and will conclude with a Dia de Los Muertos potluck at Ortega Park.

“With mainstream media promoting a culture that depends on the use of substances to have fun, I want to create an experience for our community that demonstrates life can be beautiful and fun without drugs and alcohol,” said Michael Montenegro, a Santa Barbara native and founder of CCSB.

The event is also a celebration of indigenous history that brings together community members through art, biking, health and fitness.

Santa Barbara County has a rich cultural history with 45.1 percent of the population identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. census data.

The bike ride elevates the stories and contributions of the Mexican-American and Chumash peoples in the city of Santa Barbara which are often left out of the mainstream narrative.

“I want to be a connecting point for the community and help uplift the diversity of stories in Santa Barbara to ensure that people of all ages know the history of this city,” said Montenegro.

The bike route is mostly flat, family friendly, appropriate for all ages, and will include plenty of rest breaks. To reserve a spot, visit the CCSB Facebook event page. For meeting location details, a map of the SBCC campus can be accessed here.

Chicano Culture de Santa Barbara is a Facebook page created in 2014 by Montenegro. It is dedicated to Chicana/o (Latinx) art, history, life and stories of the Santa Barbara area, with the goal of serving as an education and travel resource.

For more information, contact Montenegro at 805-215-5975 or michaelproduce@gmail.com.

— Michael Montenegro for Chicano Culture de Santa.