Each year, the city of Santa Barbara puts on a festival to celebrate the arrival of summer! The Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration is full of fun activities, food, and more that will help you ring in the summer!
What is the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration?
The Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration is a weekend-long celebration that heralds the beginning of summer. It originally began as a Summer Solstice Parade in 1974 as something completely different: a birthday celebration for popular artist Michael Gonzales. Years later, it joined with the Summer Solstice Music Festival which celebrated the longest day of the year.
Now, the celebration is the largest arts event in Santa Barbara! Each year, over 100,000 visitors from all over the world come to this festival to celebrate the Summer Solstice.
When and where is the celebration?
This year’s festival runs from Friday, June 21 – Sunday, June 23. It will take place in Alameda Park.
The parade will be at noon on Saturday, June 22. It will begin on State St.
What can I do at the festival?
The Summer Solstice Celebration highlights the vibrant art community of Santa Barbara. See incredibly artistic parade floats, giant puppets, creative costumes, and more! During the festival, there are many activities to keep you busy. Enjoy live music from local groups, arts and crafts, and delicious food.
Friday will showcase many of the talents of local performers, food vendors, and artists. Saturday, there is a free children’s festival with a DJ area for dancing and a large drum circle. All weekend will entertain you with fun events and a focus on local talent!
The Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration is a nonprofit organization, and every year it celebrates summer as well as the spirit of Michael Gonzales’ original arts celebration. With this fun festival, you can celebrate multicultural performance arts and ensure that the celebration of life through art continues for many years.
What is this year’s schedule?
Friday, June 21st, 4:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Festival opening night
Saturday, June 22, 12:00 pm: Solstice Parade starts on State St. and makes its way to Alameda Park
Saturday, June 22, 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Solstice Festival Celebration at Alameda Park
Sunday, June 23, 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm: Solstice Festival Celebration at Alameda Park
Will you be at the Summer Solstice celebration this year?
Let us know! Share your experience and pictures on our Facebook and tag us in your pictures on Instagram! And when you stay at Marina Beach Motel, you’ll be close to everything Santa Barbara has to offer–including being only 37 steps from the beach.
You can book your reservation for the celebration weekend here.
