Caffeine Meets Community at Santa Barbara’s Inaugural Coffee Culture Fest

Santa Barbara is a city of coffee — it’s filled with caffeinated people on the go, coffee shops on almost every corner, and beans cultivating in the hills. And now it’s home to the celebration of the coffee community at the Coffee Culture Fest on Saturday, March 28. The first event of its kind on the Central Coast takes place at the historic Marjorie Luke Theatre and Santa Barbara Junior High School lawn from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fest has a full-day lineup of live music, workshops and panels, and plenty of coffee to fuel up on.

Dune Coffee, Zaca Coffee, Considered Coffee, Welcome Coffee Co., and others from across the Central Coast are serving up tastings throughout the day, joining more than 40 vendors including tea partners, artists, nonprofit organizations, and local makers.

The fest has something for everyone. You’ll find interactive art activations and a curated makers market; plus, you can try your hand at writing poetry, make a coffee-ground seed bomb, and interact with live screen printing. And in the middle of the fest, you’ll find the beating heart of it all: the Cafecito Conversation Tables. It’s a chance to interact and connect with members of the community throughout the day while sharing a cup of coffee. 

“We wanted to create something that reflects the spirit of coffee culture that is so prevalent in our community — the roasters, the makers, the connectors, and the small, joyful rituals that surround the cup,” said Elly Iverson, producer of Coffee Culture Fest and founder of eji event co. in an announcement. For her, the fest is “a love letter to the simple coffee cup and the moments of connection it creates.”

If you’re a novice looking for ways to make your lattes at home, the Coffee Culture Fest will also have educational workshops focused on roasting, brewing, and home coffee techniques so you can step up your coffee game. There will also be a free poster-making station at the festival if you plan to join the rally downtown, so you can meet some new people, prepare for the No Kings March, and enjoy breakfast and coffee before you go.

Kicking off the morning inside the Marjorie Luke Theatre at 9:30 a.m., a group of women leaders shaping Santa Barbara will gather for a shared cup of joe at the Women’s Leadership Panel moderated by Gwyn Lurie, founder of Giving List Women. The panel brings together women influencing business and community in Santa Barbara through purpose-driven leadership and collaboration and features Rebecca Benozer (founder of State of Mind Café), Julia Mayer (co-founder of Dune Coffee Roasters and Carpinteria City Councilmember), Brandi Rivera (publisher of the Santa Barbara Independent and an active voice in civic leadership),Emilie Sandven (Helena Avenue Bakery), and Wendy Santamaria (Santa Barbara City Councilmember and community organizer).

And at 11 a.m. is the Central Coast Latte Art Throwdown. It’s a fast-paced battle of the lattes as regional baristas face off head-to-head with intricate latte art designs in front of a live audience. 

The festival itself is free, with passes available that include a festival cup and tastings from coffee and tea partners ($15 for students, $30 for adults). VIP passes are also available for an elevated festival experience (for $60), which gets you specialty tastings, complimentary snacks, and access to the VIP Lounge near the music stage, presented in partnership with Ventura Rental and Solera & Company. See coffeeculturefest.com for more information and tickets.