With the success of the first-ever Fiesta dog parade already in the rear view mirror, Old Spanish Days El Presidente Colin Hayward is full steam ahead with his plans to expand the annual festivities to reach even more of the community than ever before. In addition to all of the traditional Fiesta programming, Hayward has in store poetry and photography contests, more dance stages, and the expansion of El Mercado to include vendors on State Street and a beer garden in De la Guerra Plaza.
With support from the City of Santa Barbara, successful fundraising at La Primavera, and enthusiasm from the community after the inaugural dog parade, Hayward is feeling very positive about his expanded Fiesta plans.
“I’m looking forward to bringing in new faces and new people to be part of Fiesta,” said Hayward. By expanding the tent to include more of what makes Santa Barbarans excited, “we’re doing a great job of keeping Fiesta Forever,” he said, alluding to this year’s theme.
The first Fiesta poetry contest is only accepting entries for a few more days, with the final deadline being May 31. Hayward particularly emphasized the need for poems from the 11-year-old and under age group, “the kids who have been in school just haven’t been ready to get in there and write up their poems yet.”
Poems will be selected by judges Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin, former Poet Laureates Perie Longo, David Starkey, Melinda Palacio, and Father Larry Gosselin.
A Fiesta weekend photography contest will also be part of this year’s new programming. Those who want to participate must submit photos taken during Fiesta weekend 2026 and must have been shot on their cell phone, not a professional camera.
De la Guerra Plaza will see a performance stage and a beer garden, along with the usual El Mercado vendors. This space, and another new stage in Paseo Nuevo, will give even more local dancers a chance to have their moment in the sun.
El Mercado will now include booths on the 700 and 800 blocks of State Street, as well as on the zero block of De la Guerra, along La Placita, and in De la Guerra Plaza. The goal is to create one big cohesive Mercado, and to push out vendors who popped up on State Street last year without proper permitting.
“We had a lot of pedestrian traffic [on State Street] last year, but there was nothing for them to do,” said Hayward. “We expect a lot more business being done,” by vendors new and old, on the new State Street expansion.
Spaces for merchants and food vendors are being sold until Friday July 24. One 10-foot-by-10-foot merchant vendor stall costs $1,500 and a food truck space is $2,500; both are not refundable. With a reservation, vendors can sell from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, August 5-8.
Hayward said that he thinks the best way to keep traditions alive is to “get more and more people excited and involved with the community,” and that is exactly what he aims to do this year.
