Regarding the Santa Barbara Drum Circle, here’s a little local history.
Around 30 years ago, because of its time and location, someone wanted the drum circle to go away. It was either someone from the beach craft fair, who feared that that the drumming might distract the tourists from buying stuff, and/or the owner of the new hotel across the street.
At the time, the drum circle was a well-attended and fun event for the drummers and the folks who gathered around this high-spirited local musical presentation. For many of its attendees, the weekly drum circe was a combination musical, spiritual, and therapeutic event. There were drummers, dancers, and entertained onlookers and tourists.
It was local color but it was also a kind of outdoor church service for many of us. It was a social experience as well as a musical one and many of us had an innocent belief that our drumming was a modest yet profound healing experience for us as well as the earth itself that resounded to the pulse of our drumming and dancing.
So in order to discourage or regulate this activity, the local authorities introduced the yearly charge and rules for this free nonprofit event. Yet through the years, the circle has barely managed to survive to its present form, which is smaller and in a location that doesn’t annoy anyone.
Please don’t over-charge this event to exist. In an age where everyone is glued to their phones and screens, there still exists a primal healthy activity held under the sky and near the water.
