Ta-dah! Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Poster Unveiled

SANTA BARBARA — Released April 21, 2014 —Each year, there is an artistic competition for the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice T-shirt and poster design that is sold as a fundraising vehicle for the festival celebrating the longest day of the year. Drum roll, please: This year’s winner ― of a sun and moon playing hopscotch ― is by Pali-X-Mano.

The popular playground game hopscotch is in keeping with the parade’s theme which is GAMES. “With the World Cup this summer in Brazil and the popularity of Game of Thrones, GAMES is a timely subject,” says Solstice Executive Director Claudia Bratton. “A good theme is usually one word and everyone pictures something in their mind when they hear that word.” Like past themes Jungle and Circus, GAMES gives ample inspiration for fun floats and costumes.

“When I was a boy, I loved to play hopscotch with my four sisters back in Budapest,” says artist Pali-X-Mano, a graduate of the Hungarian Academy of Art & Design. Since 1990, Pali has been an integral part of Solstice, and this is his sixth winning design. He’s also created 27 of the large inflatable creations that traditionally close the Solstice parade. Regarding his name, Pali is Paul in Hungarian, the X is for eXperimental, and Mano is “little mischief” in Hungarian.

The hopscotch poster ($20 unsigned and $25 signed) and T-shirts will debut at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival in Alameda Park on Saturday & Sunday, April 26 & 27. Visit the Solstice booth to make masks with the kids and for information about upcoming events including workshops.

For adults, there are 100% cotton Ts in black and white with the sun on the front and the moon on the back; unisex S-XXXL, $20. There are also tanks in black with the moon on the front; adult S-XL, $20. The children’s shirt is gold and emblazoned with the sun; XS-L, $15.

Or visit the online store at www.solsticeparade.com. Let the GAMES begin!