Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days Fiesta
It takes about an hour to wade through the list and description of events at Santa Barbara’s annual Spanish festival held July 30-August 3, 2014. Doing your research is a small price to pay for five days of celebrations with free events available throughout and optional ticketed concerts and receptions going on at the same time. The celebration was founded in 1924 as a way for merchants to attract tourists during what once was a slow summer season (the city recently reported $16.82 million earnings in tourist hotel occupancy taxes (TOT), representing a growth rate of 14.6% for the fiscal year 2013-2014.) Santa Barbara is doing really well and perhaps Old Spanish Days Fiesta has helped. From two parades (one just for kids), to concerts, dancing, food courts, adult beverage courts, an art show at the beach, historic mission and courthouse tours, and much more, Santa Barbara’s cultural feast is giving Oakland’s Art + Soul a run for its money this weekend!
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