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‘Fiesta Forever’ is the theme for this year’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta, which will also include several new events for our community’s beloved festival. All the details for Fiesta 2026 were unveiled today by El Presidente Colin Hayward during a morning media conference on the steps of Santa Barbara City Hall.
“Fiesta Forever means continuously celebrating the history and traditions of Santa Barbara’s Fiesta celebrations,” said El Presidente Hayward. “We need to continually fan the flames of the original inspiration the founders had more than 100 years ago.”
Flanked by OSD board members, past presidentes and Santa Barbara city officials, El Presidente Hayward revealed several new Fiesta events that will be held this year in addition to all of the traditional Old Spanish Days events like the Historical Parade, Fiesta Pequeña, Noches de Ronda, Digs at the Zoo, Fiesta Ranchera in Goleta, and Mercado De La Guerra.
“I am honored to announce that this year we will be staging the inaugural Fiesta Dog Parade on State Street and culminating at Paseo Nuevo,” said El Presidente Hayward. “We are also pleased to be announce two other the first-ever events: a community-wide Fiesta Photo Contest and a Fiesta Poetry Contest with Father Larry Gosselin chosen as our Poet Laureate.”
Details for these new events will be shared in the coming weeks.
Behind the scenes, Old Spanish Days’ volunteer board continues to finalize plans for all our community’s traditional Fiesta events. “I’m pleased to say that Fiesta 2026 will feel very much like the Fiestas we all know and love—while also bringing in new elements to make this year especially memorable,” said El Presidente Hayward. “Fiesta is about tradition. Fiesta is about history, and most importantly, Fiesta is about community.”
“As El Presidente, I am committed to strengthening our connection to this community — through our events, our partnerships with sponsors, and our collaboration with local cultural and historic organizations,” he added. “I can assure you—Fiesta 2026 will be something special for everyone.”
Fiesta 2026 runs August 5-9. Additional details at sbfiesta.org.
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