This last Saturday, I headed downtown to be one of the many spectators at Santa Barbara’s annual Summer Solstice Parade. I love this place! I haven’t lived in any other town where they shut down the main drag to have a big parade just to welcome summer. 
This parade and festival has been a regular event for 34 years and gets as many as 100,000 people out to watch. At this parade, over 1,000 Santa Barbarians of all ages, leave their maturity and worries about what people think of them behind, and just have some good old fun celebrating summer.
Someone just visiting Santa Babara stopped me on the sidewalk as the parade was going by, asking, “What is this parade for?” I explained that the really cool thing about this parade is that anyone can take part. Random people attend workshops where they create their own floats, costumes, and masks. Then on parade day they march, float, dance, ride, skate, or get carried down our main drag, State Street, entertaining the tons of spectators. We all know those watching just wish, deep down inside, that they had the ideas or guts to get out there and join in the fun.
Fun head coverings are on just about every participant. Top hats with artful creations glued, or otherwise attached to them, make a great hat even better and more original. With paper cutouts, a part of a feather boa and some curled paper ribbons, this hat is a example of the one-of-a-kind creations that you'll see.
A whole group of hula hoop dancers showed off their amazing skills twirling their hoops while dancing and running about down the street. I’m betting this woman picked up the butterfly halter top at Scavenge – back when we used to carry that item - and those booty shorts too. They really hold up so well and are amazingly versatile. They can be part of so many great costume ideas.
Young and old really get into the parade. Simple yet effective costume – a wild wig, an animal nose, and some snazzied-up glasses and this lady's got a great look going on. Helmet decorations along with a fun petticoat and this girl is a hit as she skates along doing circles and patterns.
Just what we needed on the hot day – a cool dude on his way-cool bike, looking perfect for solstice with his grass skirt, lei, and surfer-dude wig. He shared his coolness with the crowds, spraying them with his mister.
There are some actual organizations making an appearance at the parade as well – capoeira demonstrators, Brazilian dancers, and drumming groups. Sometimes you just can’t tell if someone is part of the group or just some lone solstice celebrant, like the guy in the toga moving among the salsa dancers. Is he supposed to be there? Who knows? And, if he isn't officially with the group, no one really minds!
Maybe one day I’ll try being a stilt walker in the parade. With a really big pair of stilts, I might even reach 6 feet tall. These people make it look so easy, just cruising around chatting with onlookers as they move past.
From elaborate Clowns Going Fishing to the simple, yet highly entertaining, Man-Powered Balls, Solstice “floats” are almost all human-powered as they are pushed or pulled down the street.
As always, there is the grand finale – the one big float. This year’s was a giant see-through ball being pulled by Santa Barbarians looking for a good workout, with a woman doing acrobatics on a rope inside.
Gotta love Solstice; Santa Barbara style!
This parade and festival has been a regular event for 34 years and gets as many as 100,000 people out to watch. At this parade, over 1,000 Santa Barbarians of all ages, leave their maturity and worries about what people think of them behind, and just have some good old fun celebrating summer.Someone just visiting Santa Babara stopped me on the sidewalk as the parade was going by, asking, “What is this parade for?” I explained that the really cool thing about this parade is that anyone can take part. Random people attend workshops where they create their own floats, costumes, and masks. Then on parade day they march, float, dance, ride, skate, or get carried down our main drag, State Street, entertaining the tons of spectators. We all know those watching just wish, deep down inside, that they had the ideas or guts to get out there and join in the fun.
Fun head coverings are on just about every participant. Top hats with artful creations glued, or otherwise attached to them, make a great hat even better and more original. With paper cutouts, a part of a feather boa and some curled paper ribbons, this hat is a example of the one-of-a-kind creations that you'll see.
A whole group of hula hoop dancers showed off their amazing skills twirling their hoops while dancing and running about down the street. I’m betting this woman picked up the butterfly halter top at Scavenge – back when we used to carry that item - and those booty shorts too. They really hold up so well and are amazingly versatile. They can be part of so many great costume ideas.Young and old really get into the parade. Simple yet effective costume – a wild wig, an animal nose, and some snazzied-up glasses and this lady's got a great look going on. Helmet decorations along with a fun petticoat and this girl is a hit as she skates along doing circles and patterns.
Just what we needed on the hot day – a cool dude on his way-cool bike, looking perfect for solstice with his grass skirt, lei, and surfer-dude wig. He shared his coolness with the crowds, spraying them with his mister. There are some actual organizations making an appearance at the parade as well – capoeira demonstrators, Brazilian dancers, and drumming groups. Sometimes you just can’t tell if someone is part of the group or just some lone solstice celebrant, like the guy in the toga moving among the salsa dancers. Is he supposed to be there? Who knows? And, if he isn't officially with the group, no one really minds!
Maybe one day I’ll try being a stilt walker in the parade. With a really big pair of stilts, I might even reach 6 feet tall. These people make it look so easy, just cruising around chatting with onlookers as they move past.
Even some of our local dignitaries to get into the act. Check out our Mayor, Marty Blum, getting jiggy down State Street in her Solstice costume.
From elaborate Clowns Going Fishing to the simple, yet highly entertaining, Man-Powered Balls, Solstice “floats” are almost all human-powered as they are pushed or pulled down the street.As always, there is the grand finale – the one big float. This year’s was a giant see-through ball being pulled by Santa Barbarians looking for a good workout, with a woman doing acrobatics on a rope inside.Gotta love Solstice; Santa Barbara style!
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