As Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days organization readies for its 101st Fiesta, El Presidente Fritz Olenberger announced a slightly altered parade route today. In what could be the largest parade ever, said Olenberger, the Friday Historical Parade will stretch from Pershing Park to Calle Cesar Chavez along Cabrillo Boulevard, but stop short of the Hilton hotel. This year’s parade will feature 58 entries, 27 carriages, and at least 100 riders on horseback, who will return to the park via Yanonali and Garden streets after the parade has passed.
“I’m really looking forward to the parade this year in particular,” Olenberger shared, “because after 12 or 15 years of photographing it, [my wife] Gretchen and I are going to be in it, and our kids and grandkids are going to be in a wagon.” He emphasized the festival’s profound local significance, stating, “Fiesta is a part of the DNA and fabric of Santa Barbara.”
Along with a shorter parade route, other changes took place recently in the Fiesta lineup. The Downtown Club, formerly the Eastside Boys & Girls Club, had announced a Carnival for the Children in June, but after the ICE raids over the weekend, it was canceled on July 14. “Due to uncertainties in the community, and to assure the safety of the kids, The Downtown Club is canceling its planned Fiesta Carnival de Los Ninos,” wrote Mark Alvarado, executive director of the club, in a press release. The carnival was intended to be a major fundraiser for the club, but recent events now make it a “financial risk,” he wrote, that “could affect our ability to provide the needed services we offer our kids on a daily basis.”
Another change to Fiesta is that the traditional rodeo has found a new home in Santa Ynez August 1-3, with a Saturday BBQ.
Joining Olenberger was Casie Killgore, the newly appointed Division Chief of Pageantry, who is stepping into this role for the first time. Killgore expressed her enthusiasm, remarking, “I am very honored and humbled to be able to be in charge of it this year and to really do whatever we need to do to bring that, you know, Fiesta flair to our town.” She highlighted the use of historical resources for the parade, noting, “Every carriage that we have here at the Carriage Museum is going to be used.” For Killgore, a Santa Barbara native and principal at Franklin Elementary School, Fiesta holds a special place: “Fiesta Friday is the best day of the year in Santa Barbara. Being born and raised here, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Organizers have also addressed potential security concerns, regarding the potential presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Olenberger clarified their protocol: “We’ve consulted with the city, and they have told us if ICE shows up, that our board members should not get involved, that we should call the police if they’re not already there.”
He further emphasized the priority of a safe and enjoyable event for all. “Our number one concern is having a fun and safe Fiesta,” Olenberger stated. “I think we’ve all heard about the raids of the marijuana farms in Carpinteria. Raiding a marijuana farm is quite a bit different than raiding a 101-year-old festival.” While acknowledging public concerns, he expressed skepticism about ICE-related incidents at the long-standing festival, stating, “I just don’t see it happening.”
