Summer Solstice Festival

Summer Solstice Festival

“Fantasy” is the theme for this year’s Summer Solstice Celebration, which began in 1974 and continues to be one of Santa Barbara’s most colorful and anticipated events. Drawing nearly 100,000 spectators and participants, the three day celebration begins with the Festival Opening on Friday, June 22nd at Alameda Park, followed by the Summer Solstice Parade kicking off at noon on Saturday. Starting at State and Cota Streets, the parade winds, dances, rolls and bounces up State Street and takes a right on Micheltorena, leading a variety of imaginative” people-powered” floats, giant puppets, dancers, drummers, bands and wildly costumed and masked revelers back to Alameda Park for the second of three days of festival fun.

Summer Solstice Festival at Alameda Park offers non-stop theatrical and musical performances, Friday June 22nd, Saturday, June 23rd and Sunday, June 24th, with live music and entertainment on the Main Stage. The celebration boasts a  variety of arts and crafts booths and delicious food as well as a beer and wine garden  for the duration of the Festival.

Visit www.solsticeparade.com for more details and a complete schedule of Summer Solstice events.

RECENT FEATURES
Mertens-Fine-Art-Top-Image

Mertens Fine Art

Mertens Fine Art specializes in American and European Modern and Contemporary paintings, prints and sculpture. Located in Montecito, the gallery exhibits works by Helen Frankenthaler, Jasper Johns, David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Richard Diebenkorn, Brad Howe, Tom Wesselmann, Sam Francis, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Joan Miro, to name a few. They also represent Contemporary Artists Richard Schemm, Douglas Dubler, Wesley Johnson, Patricia Hinds and Henry Wessels.

Inspiration-Point-Top-Image

Hiking Inspiration Point

For a stunning view of Santa Barbara, Inspiration Point via Jesusita Trial is one of Santa Barbara's best. Roughly a 2.5 mile round trip, the hike is doable for most all hikers. Starting at the SB Mission, take Mission Canyon Road towards the foothills and take a right onto Foothill Road. When you come to the Fire Station, take a left and go about a 1/4 of a mile and stay left  at the fork, which is Tunnel Road. Take Tunnel Road all the way to the end, parking is limited. The trail begins on the paved fire road. At the end of this paved fire road, head straight up the dirt road and after about a 1/4 mile the trail goes to the left. This is Jesusita Trail. After crossing the creek, take the trail to the left and keep going for another mile or so. Just after you crossing the fire road you will enjoy a gorgeous panoramic view of the coast.

Surfer-Top-Image

Surfing

Santa Barbara’s south-facing coast, is home to great surf for beginners and experts alike. In summer, South Pacific swells send waves our way, but the Channel Islands block much of the action, though afternoon winds can make for small but fun surf. In fall and winter, storms from the north Pacific generate waves up to ten feet and sometimes more. That’s the time to visit Rincon, a world-class point break just south of Carpinteria. Leadbetter Beach in town and Campus Point, at UC Santa Barbara, are great for beginners. While the water temperature can be nice in September and October, it’s usually much cooler during the winter season, so you’ll need a wet suit. A-Frame Surf Shop • 3785 Santa Claus Lane • 805.684.8803

just folk

Just Folk

Just Folk is a gallery in Summerland, CA that features American Folk Art, concentrating on handmade, utilitarian objects whose design is esthetically appealing. They showcase ordinary objects that are invested with extraordinary individuality; traditional pieces whose original function is transcended by their design. Other times, the pieces tell stories about being alive and seeing the world in a certain way, through the eyes of the creator. By these parameters, the folk art they show includes contemporary as well as antique, including Visionary, Self-Taught, Intuitive and Outsider Art. Just Folk, created by Susan Baerwald and Marcy Carsey, opened in 2007.