ON Culture | Bouncing our Way to an Entertaining Earth Day and Looking Ahead to Mother’s Day

This edition of ON Culture was originally emailed to subscribers on August 13, 2024. To receive Leslie Dinaberg’s arts newsletter in your inbox on Fridays, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

ON the Stage

Enjoy the vibe at Earth Day 2023 | Photo: Paul Mann

With so many great things to enjoy at the Earth Day Festival, I feel like the music doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. The CEC and organizers do a great job curating a lively array of local bands, and best of all it’s all FREE on Saturday and Sunday (April 27-28) at Alameda Park. The Saturday lineup includes Will Breman, Sophie Holt, Evan Blix, World Dance for Humanity, No Simple Highway, False Puppet, and The Last Decade. The bands onstage Sunday are: Bobby, Finn and Dave; Queentide, The Vonettes, Rastan Campbell and Cornerstone. See sbearthday.org/entertainment for the complete lineup and set times.

Tilly Tamony (left) gets ready for Sing It Out as she rehearses with Andrew Manos, one of the professional musicians working with the teens. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom

I have so much admiration for the work that AHA! does with teens in our community and was honored to go behind-the-scenes of the Sing It Out program for last week’s cover story (read it here). I can’t wait to see them perform on Sunday, April 28 at the Lobero Theatre. Click here for more information about what promises to be a memorable evening of song and celebration.

ON the Page

RuPaul strikes a pose at his UCSB Arts & Lectures event on April 18, 2024, at the Arlington Theatre. | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom

My last week was filled with book events, including Poetry in the Parks (read the story here) and a fabulous evening with RuPaul, who was in town to promote his new memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings (read the story here). Up next is an evening with poet Amanda Gorman in conversation with Pico Iyer on April 30. That’s one I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.

I also want to take this opportunity to bid a fond farewell and a whole heap of thanks to Emily Lee, who began our All Booked newsletter back in 2021. On staff since 2015, most recently as Marketing & Promotions Manager, Emily jumped in and did a zillion different things (including dealing with the backend of this newsletter when needed) and I already miss her. We’re still figuring out our new book newsletter delivery system, so stay tuned, or rather, keep reading for more updates.

ON the (Big) Screen

SBIFF 2023 | Photo by Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for SBIFF

Mark your calendars for the 40th anniversary of Santa Barbara International Film Festival, coming our way February 4-15, 2025. In honor of the anniversary milestone, the fest will run for 12 days instead of ten to celebrate. “As we embark on our 40th year, we are proud of what we’ve accomplished and exhilarated for what is ahead of us. We will be announcing a few surprises in the next few months. Onward and upwards” says Roger Durling, SBIFF’s Executive Director.

ON the Catwalk

Here are few of the new items available from Danvillage Art Lab | Photo: Courtesy

Kevin Tran, the talented creator of our Transmissions Video Series, recently did a very cool video for a new apparel line by Santa Barbara illustrator Daniel Sulzberg. Just in time for Mother’s Day gifts, Danvillage Art Lab is an innovative apparel and art brand that Daniel says “promises to infuse your daily life with color, creativity, and positivity.” We can certainly all use a bit more of that. Not only is the stuff colorful and cool, it’s also made using eco-friendly materials and ethical manufacturing practices.

And, he writes, “Furthermore, a portion of all proceeds will be donated to local and global charities supporting art education, families that have dealt with trauma, and environmental conservation.” Check out Kevin’s promo here and see the product line here.

ON the Lawn

The Big Bounce is at Elings Park Friday – Sunday. | Photo: Courtesy

The Big Bounce, a bounce house extravaganza for all ages, is back at Elings Park April 26-28, with 24,000-square-feet of inflatables like basketball hoops, ball pits, and climbing towers. This bounce house also has a deejay at the center providing music as you bounce and Tiana Molony has the scoop here.

ON the Menu

The tableside preparation of the San Ysidro Ranch Smoky Blood Orange Margarita | Photo: Leslie Dinaberg

While $33 may sound like a lot for a cocktail, it becomes far more palatable when your libation includes a floor show — complete with special effects like scents and smoke. On my visit to San Ysidro Ranch this week (for an upcoming food story), we got to try the Tableside Smoked Cocktails. The Smoky Blood Orange Margarita — smoked with a combination of white oak and cherry wood — was tart, smoky, and delicious as promised, and the smoke show was hilariously fun. (Also a good way to treat mom on her special day.) Other options include the Jack Rose, smoked with apple wood; The Richard Foster, smoked with pecan wood; Scotch & Cigar, smoked with white oak; the Smoking Pig Poke, smoked with cherry wood; and Shou Sugi Ban, smoked with beech wood.

ON the Calendar

Two of my favorite things come together – Art and Food — at a special art-inspired cooking event with Chef Pascale Beale. Taking place on Saturday May 11 (the day before Mother’s Day) at 2:30 p.m. at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Pascale will share her love for art and how it inspired her 10 cookbooks and cooking career over the past 25 years. A special lunch and cooking demonstration from a few of her much-loved recipes will follow the talk. Sounds like a great Mother’s Day gift to me. Attendees will also receive a gift subscription to her latest multimedia food memoir, 9′ x 12′ Culinary Adventures in a Small Kitchen. Get tickets at tickets.sbma.net.

For a complete calendar of events this week and beyond, visit independent.com/events/.