2020 Leadership Team Announced
El Presidente Erik Davis to lead historic organization
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara is pleased to announce the leadership team for Fiesta 2020. The elected team includes the Executive Committee comprised of: El Presidente, Erik Davis; La Primera Vice Presidente, Stephanie Petlow; El Segundo Vice Presidente, Alex Castellanos; El Secretario, David Bolton; and La Tesorera, Maria Cabrera.
La Presidenta’s Thank You
I would like to sincerely thank all that participated in our 95th year and enjoyed Fiesta 2019. We had a wonderful year, with terrific events all summer long.
I started my year with a proclamation describing how Fiesta represents the “Spirit of Community.” As happens every year, thousands again participated in our events as volunteers, performers, equestrians and spectators. Our community came alive with volunteers working hard and celebrating with good food, songs and dance.
2019 Poster and Pin Unveiled
The Fiesta pin depicts one of the most iconic images of Fiesta, the Fiesta dancers. “For the pin design I knew I wanted to use the dancing couple from many of our past Fiesta posters,” said Carroll. “It’s an image that is well-known in our community, and, in addition to the parade, it’s the other image that everyone recognizes and can connect with.”
La Presidenta Carroll concluded “I hope both the poster and pin are images that resonate as quintessentially Fiesta and stir happy memories.”
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Old Spanish Days Announces Honorary El Presidentes & La Presidentas
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara is pleased to announce that Dacia and Riley Harwood and Tom and Denise Peterson have been named honorary El Presidentes & La Presidentas for the 95th annual Old Spanish Days Fiesta. They will be in attendance at the La Primavera event on Saturday, May 25, 2019. Tickets available at online at sbfiest.org.
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Spirit of Fiesta Auditions mark the kick off of the 2019 Old Spanish Days Fiesta Season
SANTA BARBARA, CA – March 25, 2019 – The pageantry of Old Spanish Days Fiesta will be on full display April 13, 2019, at 12:00 p.m., when 21 talented young dancers step on the stage at the La Cumbre Junior High School Auditorium to perform at the Spirit and Jr. Spirit of Fiesta Live Auditions! This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Spirit of Fiesta. Don’t miss one of Santa Barbara’s best live performance events.
Old Spanish Days Announces 2019 Fiesta Theme
Each year, the Presidente of Fiesta chooses a theme that will set the tone for the coming year. La Presidenta Barbara Carroll, who has been a Fiesta volunteer since 1986 and has served on the board of directors since 2006, was inspired by the way the Santa Barbara community comes together to appreciate our shared history and culture and participate in the annual celebration.
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Old Spanish Days Announces 2019 Leadership Team for 95th Fiesta
Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara is pleased to announce the leadership team for Fiesta 2019. The elected team includes: La Presidenta Barbara Carroll; El Primer Vice Presidente Erik Davis; La Segunda Vice Presidenta Stephanie Petlow; El Secretario David Bolton; El Teserero Alex Castellanos; Division Chief of Celebrations Michelle Bischoff; Division Chief of Dance & Entertainment Andrea Caplan; Division Chief of External Relations Angelique Davis; Division Chief of Marketplaces Angela Miller-Bevan; and Division Chief of Pageantry Will Powers.
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Thanks for a Great Fiesta 2018!
I want to thank the Santa Barbara community, sponsors, collaborative partners, City and County of Santa Barbara and Old Mission Santa Barbara for participating and supporting our successful 94th year of celebrating our tradition of Old Spanish Days Fiesta.
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2018 OSD Fiesta Poster and Commemorative Pin Unveiled at La Primavera
During a spectacular Fiesta kick off event, 2018 La Presidenta Denise Sanford unveiled this year’s official Fiesta Poster and Commemorative Pin before a large crowd at La Primavera.
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2018 Spirit of Fiesta and Junior Spirit
A Santa Barbara tradition continued Saturday April 14th as a boisterous crowd of nearly 600 people packed the auditorium of La Cumbre Junior High School for the Spirit of Fiesta Auditions. The crowd was treated to astounding performances by the 11 finalists for the Spirit of Fiesta and the 9 finalist for the Junior Spirit of Fiesta.
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Proclamación de la Presidenta 2018
In searching for the inspiration for this year’s theme I spent a lot of time contemplating the special connection that Old Spanish Days Fiesta has with our community. The mission of Old Spanish Days is to celebrate and perpetuate the rich history of our beautiful city and its traditions; which born from necessity grew into a way of life which makes Santa Barbara distinctively unique among all of California’s coastal cities.
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Old Spanish Days Announces 2018 Fiesta Theme
Surrounded by members of the extended Fiesta Family, 2018 Old Spanish Days La Presidenta Denise Sanford unveiled this year’s Fiesta theme – Celebrate Traditions – words that will set the tone for this summer’s celebrations.
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¡Viva la Fiesta - Viva la Comunidad!
A big thank you to our community for participating in a very successful Old Spanish Days Fiesta. To serve as La Presidente for our 93rd annual celebration was a truly humbling experience that I will never forget.
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Old Spanish Days Names 2018 Leadership Team for 94th Fiesta
The organizing group for Santa Barbara’s weeklong Fiesta has named its leadership and executive team for the 94th edition of one of this country’s largest regional festivals. Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara has selected its Executive Committee, including the eighth Fiesta La Presidente to lead the organization, as well as five Division Chiefs who will oversee a variety of events from Celebrations to Pageantry and from Dance and Entertainment to Mercados and External Relations.
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2017 Fiesta Poster and Pin Unveiled at La Primavera
On a perfect spring evening and at a lively La Primavera celebration transformed into an “Evening in Spain”, this year’s Fiesta La Presidente Rhonda Ledson Henderson unveiled the 2017 Fiesta Poster and Pin before a throng of local dignitaries, community leaders and supporters of Old Spanish Days Fiesta.
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Proclamación de la Presidente 2017
For 93 years, since the first “Old Spanish Days” in 1924, Fiesta has been a celebration of the rich history that makes Santa Barbara such a special place. Annually, the experiences shared during Fiesta serves as a uniting force in our community.
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Old Spanish Days Announces 2017 Fiesta Theme
Surrounded by local community and civic Leaders, and with the sacred garden of Old Mission Santa Barbara serving as a historic backdrop, 2017 Old Spanish Days La Presidente Rhonda Ledson Henderson unveiled this year’s Fiesta theme – Unity through Community. In Spanish, Unidos en Comunidad.
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Many Thanks To All!
What a great Fiesta 2016! It was a great privilege and honor to serve as this year’s El Presidente. I am truly appreciative of Santa Barbara’s involvement and appreciation of Fiesta.
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Old Spanish Days Names Leadership Team For 93rd Fiesta
The organizing group for Santa Barbara’s weeklong Fiesta has named its leadership team for the 93rd edition of one of this country’s largest regional festivals. Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara has selected its Executive Committee, including the seventh Fiesta La Presidente to lead the organization, as well as five Division Chiefs who will oversee a variety of events from Celebrations to Pageantry and from Dance and Entertainment to Mercados and External Relations.
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Project Fiesta! Building a Complete History of Old Spanish Days
The Santa Barbara Historical Museum is proud to introduce a new installation titled Project Fiesta! Building A Complete History of Old Spanish Days, which focuses on the important roles Fiesta has played in the Santa Barbara community. Fall in love with Fiesta as memories of the festival come to life with personal stories, vintage posters, restored costumes, historical photographs, and artifacts that connect our community and celebrate our traditions.
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