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Santa Barbara, CA – The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) invites residents and visitors to explore an exciting lineup of downtown happenings this week, including the Ribbon-Cutting & Opening Celebration of the Bloomberg Asphalt Art Initiative, the Fiesta Dog Parade, hands-on workshops, artist talks, culinary experiences, and a variety of community celebrations.
The full list of events can be found in our weekly e-newsletter here: conta.cc/4eBNW4ZFeatured Events:
- Sunset Chef’s Table at the Kimpton Canary Hotel (Thursday, May 14, 5:00 PM)
- Hunt Slonem at Seimandi & Leprieur Gallery (Friday, May 15, 4:00 PM)
- Oil and Water: Policy, Progress, and the Path Forward (Darcy Aston Memorial Lecture) at CEC’s Environmental Hub (Friday, May 15, 5:30 PM)
- Fiesta Dog Parade at Paseo Nuevo (Saturday, May 16, 11:00 AM)
- Candied Lemon & Citrus Syrup at domecíl (Saturday, May 16, 11:00 AM)
- Santa Barbara Culinary Experience Grand Wine Tasting at El Presidio de Santa Barbara (Saturday, May 16, 1:00 PM)
- Meet World-Renowned 3D Pop Artist Charles Fazzino at 3D Studio Gallery (Saturday, May 16, 2:00 PM)
- Solstice Workshop Opening Reception at The Community Arts Workshop (Saturday, May 16, 3:00 PM)
- Ribbon-Cutting & Opening Celebration of the Bloomberg Asphalt Art Initiative at State x Carrillo Intersection (Sunday, May 17, 2:00 PM)
- New Moon Ritual: Sound Bath, Sauna, Cold Plunge at Soul Care Studio + Sauna (Sunday, May 17, 5:30 PM)
- TOM SELLECK in conversation with TED DANSON at The Granada Theatre (Tuesday, May 19, 7:30 PM)
Upcoming & Ongoing Initiatives:
- Downtown Kickin’ Country Line Dancing (Every Wednesday in May): Enjoy free country line dancing lessons in front of Best BBQ and Apna (716 State Street).
- Queen of Cups Staged Reading (May 16–18, 2:00 PM): Join MORE Theater/SB at the historic Balboa Building (735 State Street) for a special three-day reading of a new epic poem-play by queer studies scholar Judy Grahn.
- TV Santa Barbara Online Auction: Bid on luxury getaways, mountain retreats, and original artwork before the auction closes on Sunday, May 17, to support local community media and accessible storytelling.
- The Strangers Project at Art & Soul (May 2-17): Explore a globally recognized archive of handwritten stories that foster human connection and empathy through collective storytelling.
- “Shapes of Surrealism” Exhibition at Seimandi & Leprieur Gallery (On Display until May 31): Six contemporary artists ignite surrealism as a living, breathing field of perception.
- “The Gift: New Additions to our Story” Exhibition at Santa Barbara Historical Museum (On Display until May 31): Highlighting community gifts that illuminate local history.
- “Ludmilla Pilat Welch: Serene Santa Barbara” Exhibition at Santa Barbara Historical Museum (On Display until May 31): Historic plein air renderings of Santa Barbara’s iconic adobes.
View the complete What’s Happening e-newsletter here: conta.cc/4eBNW4Z
Sign-up for the What’s Happening e-newsletter here: http://www.downtownsb.org/subscribe
Interested in highlighting your event on the “What’s Happening Downtown” e-newsletter? Email your downtown happening to Maria@downtownsb.org.
The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) is a nonprofit dedicated to providing enhanced services to make downtown a vibrant place for visitors, investors, and residents. For more information on DSBIA’s events, programs, and a directory of businesses, visit
