Fiesta Today

Santa Barbarans have long been eager to celebrate their beautiful city with visitors from all over the world. Iconic locations, such as the Santa Barbara Mission, Santa Barbara Courthouse, State Street, El Paseo Restaurant, Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara Bowl, Earl Warren Showgrounds and the classic mercados & cantinas have all become home to Fiesta’s multitude of popular events.

Each year the grand finale of Fiesta takes place for a full week around the beginning of August. For months before that, however, the city ramps up with fundraisers, dance contests, costume sales and float building. Tens of thousands of people flock to Santa Barbara to watch and participate as hundreds more sing, perform historic dances, and ride horses & carriages in parades.

Local businesses close their doors early to celebrate one of the largest equestrian parades in the country. Hundreds of children and adults, decked in authentic costume, dance flamenco, folklórico, salsa, and ballet on stages throughout the city. The bars and mercados go crazy with locals and out-of-towners. And two different parades fill the streets with colorful entertainment.