Society Matters | Old Mission Holds Drinks at Dusk

On July 21, Old Mission Santa Barbara (Old Mission) held the third of four Drinks at Dusk in the Mission’s Secret Garden. These popular gatherings keep getting more so, with about 150 people turning out for this one. Guests got to mingle with Franciscan friars, Old Mission staff, and other community members in the enchanting garden, which is generally off-limits to the public, while enjoying wine, beer, and appetizers from various purveyors and live music by Ybarra Music.

According to Executive Director Monica Orozco, most people have some connection with the Old Mission, but often only from community events held out front. The event series is designed to help break the barrier between the Old Mission and the community, enabling the Old Mission’s staff and the Franciscan friars to meet with members of the community and form real relationships.

Founded in 1786, the nonprofit Old Mission is one of 21 California missions founded by the Spanish Franciscans and today is a major tourist destination, with nearly 250,000 visitors in 2019, the last year before the pandemic closure (it reopened in March 2021). It owns the 15-acre parcel and buildings and is home to a few other separate entities, including the Catholic church St. Barbara Parish, which dates from the 1920s and falls under the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.