Cover Stories
LATEST ISSUE
This is how the Acme, Companion, and Good Lion restaurant groups changed our dining culture.
December
This is how the Acme, Companion, and Good Lion restaurant groups changed our dining culture.
‘Tis the Season 2024 Solvang Voted Second Best Christmas Town in America, an Annual Living Nativity Still Strong After 34
November
The “Santa Barbara Independent” honors the heroes living among us.
Arts education comes first and foremost for UCSB Arts & Lectures residencies.
Mission: Implausible?Eight-Story Housing Project Proposed Behind Santa Barbara Mission Developers Look to Build Giant Residential Building Under California’s ‘Builder’s Remedy’ Law
From the White House to City Hall: Some surprising and not-so-surprising results.
October
After a long road of setbacks and delays, the Michael Towbes Plaza is ready for the public.
Making an ofrenda and learning the traditions of Day of the Dead in Santa Barbara.
Our annual list of ballot-box champs.
The State Street movie theater will be transformed into the Santa Barbara Film Center.
Meet the dreamers and planners leading Downtown into the future.
September
Our guide to the cultural delights of the fall season.
Where to enjoy seven days of $8 burritos during the Independent’s fourth annual Burrito Week.
What to plant, how to decorate, and more from local pros.
A celebration of the late, great, dark wit of artist Keith Puccinelli in a bold UCSB exhibition.
August
Memoirs of a wiser thirtysomething.
Inspiration and services for Santa Barbara seniors.
SOhO, Santa Barbara’s premier and longest-running showcase music club, survives highs and lows to reach the 30th anniversary milestone, mascot in tow.
Baret Boisson’s vibrant work paints a love letter to the universe.
July
A comprehensive guide to the history, happenings, and who’s who of Santa Barbara’s century-old celebration.
Isla Vista’s Neushul family rides a chlorine-scented wave all the way to the Olympics.
Taking a look back 200 years after the largest Indigenous revolt of the mission period.
A nightmare battle with a rare brain tumor mirrors a disturbing trend.
Meet the friendly folks who’ve been pouring your cocktails for decades.
June
Two Santa Barbara psychologists help heal traumatic wounds.
Santa Barbara Summer Solstice shines bright at 50.
Bloomsday, censorship, dirty books, and dirty minds.
Celebrating Santa Barbara’s furry, scaly, blubbery, and feathery friends.
May
After a four-year hiatus, our annual celebration of the theater community is back and brighter than ever!
Two San Marcos High School student body presidents were two casualties of the Vietnam War.
Here’s a rundown of Taste of Santa Barbara’s weekend of delicious to-dos.
“Santa Barbara Independent” reporter Callie Fausey takes a psychedelic trip into the world of ketamine therapy.
It’s time again to enjoy $10 glasses from more than one dozen establishments.
April
How Santa Barbara protects and beautifies its patch of planet.
AHA!’s Sing It Out program uses music to help teens unleash their power.
The mighty milestone Centennial Festival Weekend includes the Santa Barbara debut of the ambitious Pacific Jazz Orchestra.
JJ Ortiz pushes through his cancer battle to bring the Rose Garden Tattoo Convention to the Community Arts Workshop April 5-7.
March
Summer has been waiting all year to welcome you back to creativity, learning, movement, the water, the outdoors, friendship, and more!
Mary Heebner melds myths and materiality into uniquely joyful creations.
It’s our biggest Burger Week ever, with 25 restaurants serving $10 burgers from March 14 to 20.
Luke Zuffelato rewrites Santa Barbara High’s record book.
February
Journalist Zoe Schiffer gets the true story of how he ruined Twitter.
Acclaimed Los Angeles–based photographer Janna Ireland’s “True Story Index” is a major mid-career survey spread between SBMA and MCASB.
Married S.B. photographers renew their vows, three unique S.B. wedding stories, and technology trends for your big day.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival is looking SPIFF-y once again.
January
Whitney Brooks Abbott turns her brush toward the fields.
The band is a raucous, joy-infused, syncopated musical chain reaction.
How an obscure housing law broke the door wide open for developers looking to build bigger, denser, and quicker than ever.
Kids Helping Kids helps kids in Santa Barbara learn by doing.
The Chrisman California Islands Center in Carpinteria is set to open to visitors and researchers this month.
December
Here’s our roundup of 12 months that our photographers spent documenting Santa Barbara’s many scenes.
Santa Barbara fisherman Chris Goldblatt plans to bring back reef habitats around the globe.
Can California farmers grow this native plant into the booming global market? A Santa Barbara County–based project aims to find out.
The holiday fun has just begun — get the most out of this magical time of year with Santa Barbara’s complete guide to holiday happenings.
November
Thousands of kids have been in a system that can work like a revolving door.
The Santa Barbara Independent’s 37th annual celebration of our nicest neighbors.
A new reading program combines phonetics with good literature.
Going into his junior season, lead guard has NBA caliber skills.
Opera Santa Barbara has become an important cultural fixture in its three decades, but the post-pandemic struggle for solidity continues.
October
The portrait of an artist as an activist and educator.
Our annual list of champs who hit it out of the park.
Iconic Santa Barbara artist Ralph Waterhouse celebrates his 80th birthday, reflecting on his artful life.
The seventh-generation Santa Barbara County rancher Elizabeth Poett is publishing “The Ranch Table” cookbook just as the fourth season of her popular TV show debuts.
September
An ode to the Lemon Festival, the Goodland, and its agricultural roots.
Where to enjoy seven days of $8 burritos during the Independent’s third annual Burrito Week.
UCSB Arts & Lectures is set to launch another vibrant season.
Historical shift on stage, with three women at the helm.
August
David Valentine discusses discovering a DDT dumping ground in the waters off Catalina Island and charting a new course at UCSB.
Santa Barbarans stare down Father Time and live their lives to the fullest.
The rise and self-inflicted fall of the ‘Santa Barbara News-Press.’
Squeeze in some last-minute memories before school begins with these 11 activities and 11 events.
Get the most out of this year’s Fiesta using S.B.’s most complete guide to Old Spanish Days Fiesta 2023.
July
Keeping the beat, with heart: This supportive program brings much more than music to the community.
Are the remnants of a 1942 Japanese submarine attack lodged in the Timbers restaurant?
The godfather of climate fiction sounds off on his latest work.
CEC’s new space is a focal point and incubator for climate activism and awareness.
June
From Belgian ales to defiant pales, beer aficionados offer a toast to their imbibing passion.
From CAW to completion, Santa Barbara’s annual Solstice festivities take place June 23-25.
Pickleball takes over!
Here’s our annual Blue & Green ode to outdoor adventure in Santa Barbara.
May
Capturing the moment of last shadow and first light with artist Robin Gowen.
Eight small Santa Barbara businesses to make your place shine.
The man who taught America how to shake it comes to town.
The Taste of Santa Barbara is hosting a week-long series of food and drink experiences.
Sharon Allen, cofounder of World Telehealth Initiative, on envisioning a world where all people have access to quality healthcare.
April
Enjoy $10 glasses of wine from 33 establishments around Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley for the next seven days.
This Earth Day, we recognize those safeguarding Santa Barbara’s backyard and the planet.
Rakesh Bahadur readies for his 37th Santa Barbara Kite Festival.
Freddy Janka brings an optimistic, energetic, and inclusive spirit to the rebirth of the Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara.
March
The perfect summer experience from the arts and sports, outdoor fun and sleeping away, to special needs and spiritual camps, await your kids.
“Pelota mixteca,” a sport with ancient roots, thrives in Santa Barbara.
From wildlife rescue to dog training to birth control for rats.
Jazz great Charles Lloyd — who has performed more on the Lobero stage than any other single artist — celebrates his 85th birthday as part of the historic theater’s 150th anniversary.
Here are the 15 restaurants serving $10 burgers from March 2-8.
February
Widely respected and still wildly inventive and active at age 87, Joan Tanner brings her distinctive work to SBMA’s McCormick Gallery.
All you need to know about planning for your big day with inspirational stories and the list of businesses in our 2023 Wedding Resource Guide.
The 38th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival returns in all its screened and live glory.
Zooming in on opening night, the poster creator, cinematic landmarks, and S.B. documentaries.
January
Self-Care in Santa Barbara, 2023 Edition Sixteen Ways to RechargeYour Mind, Body, and Spirit By Indy Staff It’s an overused
Acclaimed mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato returns to Santa Barbara with her ambitious, multimedia, multi-period concept work ‘EDEN.’
Bestselling author Rachel Ignotofsky on sharing the wonders of art and science through design.
Conservation, education, restoration, and more initiatives are being planned for this historic slice of the Gaviota Coast.
December
Here’s a look at the Santa Barbara that was, through the lens of our photography team.
Roke Fukumura: baseball star, internment camp survivor, hardworking hometown hero.
Our readers speak out on the struggles of renting in Santa Barbara.
Santa Barbara artist Jane Gottlieb infuses her work — and her life — with joy and energy through the lens of color.
November
Find the perfect seasonal experiences using Santa Barbara’s most complete guide to holiday happenings.
The Independent’s annual nod to our incredible neighbors.
Riding a wave of medical promise, magic mushrooms and other hallucinogens have gone mainstream.
Our annual guide looks at happenings and trends in the world of Santa Barbara education.
UCSB Professor Peter Alagona’s book “The Accidental Ecosystem” reveals where the wild things really are.
October
How a local man emerged from personal loss in one piece.
Here are the results of our annual reader survey.
An interview with astrologer-psychologist Jennifer Freed on her journey toward living deeply.
A look at the past and present of one of California’s last working wooden piers.
September
The days may be getting shorter, but our list of excellent entertainment offerings keeps getting longer and longer.
Here’s how to celebrate our second annual seven-day stretch of $7 burritos.
The storied, historic theater — the second opera house in California — celebrates 150 years.
Groundbreaking show brings entertaining, compassionate focus to mental health issues.
August
Five families explain how they are navigating local childcare.
Santa Barbarans are living their lives to the fullest.
Filmmakers, firefighters, and a nurse find ways to help Ukrainians at war.
This late-blooming artist finds fruitful inspiration in “The Place of Hidden Things.”
Plan the perfect experience for this year’s Fiesta celebration using Santa Barbara’s complete guide to Old Spanish Days.
July
Find just the right activity from arts, sports, STEM, building community, collaboration, and more in Santa Barbara’s After-School Activities Guide.
Santa Barbara’s veteran party royalty Spencer the Gardener prepares for its annual Fiesta duties, with a film and album in the offing.
SadBoy Loko speaks on his new label, album, and life after lockup.
Dr. Eliot Jacobson reflects on a one-of-a-kind career.
June
What do Supreme Court rulings on abortion and guns mean for Santa Barbara?
See the magic underway at the Community Arts Workshop to prep for the June 25 parade.
The joy of Black culture will shine at weekend festivities across the county.
Here’s our annual Blue & Green ode to outdoor adventure in Santa Barbara.
The wave-riding champ Shaun Tomson and philosopher-poet Noah benShea penned a pandemic pick-me-up called “The Surfer and the Sage: A Guide to Survive and Ride Life’s Waves.”
May
Santa Barbara’s beloved street-painting festival returns to the Mission refreshed.
Here’s our annual issue dedicated to ideas and design, both indoor and out, featuring Lotusland, sustainable gardening, electrified houses, and more.
The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience combines restaurant week with the event-packed Taste of S.B. weekend from May 16-22.
Unique ideas to fix our flailing world.
April
From their “Oprah” debut to signing-day ceremonies, the Goodmans reflect on their journey.
Here’s an Earth Day update, five years after this 25,000-acre Gaviota Coast ranch was saved.
From the Bowl to the beach, businesses keep it real on the Eastside’s main street.
The Chicago-born, SoCal-based artist gives Afro-Cuban orishas the Renaissance treatment in her art show at UCSB’s AD&A Museum.
March
Let the our complete guide to summer camp help you choose the ideal experience for your kids from over 150 camps.
This multi-year project produces concerts to celebrate the Music Academy’s 75th anniversary.
Relief efforts ramp up, and a Russian-American talks about Putin’s war.
These 14 restaurants are serving $7 burgers for seven days in our fifth-ever indulgence event.
SBIFF hosts more films and Oscar nominees than ever before.
February
The new major exhibit “Through Vincent’s Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources” tracks the artist and his influences.
Start planning your big day from catering to venues and everything in between in the 2022 Wedding Resource Guide.
The Brazilian athlete is unofficially representing Santa Barbara.
UCSB Arts & Lectures Series features pathbreaking writers and activists.
January
Here are ways to get fit, stay well, and be mindful as the pandemic persists in its third calendar year.
The tides have turned against ExxonMobil, Cat Canyon, and offshore platforms.
Santa Barbara’s afterlife expert William Peters pens a new book.
The Turner Foundation Music and Imagination program uses jazz and blues to teach life.
December
The “Santa Barbara Independent” presents its annual year in photographic review.
Underground Scholars offer support for academic success.
Inga Guzyte’s art of recycled skateboards takes off at Sullivan Goss Gallery.
His photos are a love story to his hometown.
Make plans for your holiday season using Santa Barbara’s most complete guide to all seasonal happenings.
November
The Independent’s annual nod to our incredible neighbors.
The famous band’s lead guitarist Chris Shiflett inducted into Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame; ceremony on TV this weekend.
Maritime Museum exhibit celebrates the art of being a mermaid.
Goleta farmer Jay Ruskey is fighting to make the bean business better for all.
October
The Dons’ young quarterback and senior captain build on a family legacy.
Here are the results of our annual reader survey.
The Santa Barbara County resident is among the first to have his criminal record expunged under a new state law.
An inside look into the lives and thoughts of the six men and women running for the job.
September
The 2021 season returns to live performance beginning on October 10.
Enjoy these 17 burritos for just $7 across town from September 23 to 29.
Local entrepreneurs give their companies the online treatment.
Planned Parenthood’s annual used book-a-thon shines again.
With a new book by Roger Durling and the return of film camp, SBIFF shows resiliency in the era of COVID.
August
Pedaling on with wheelie kids and world-saving moguls.
As performances return, what to know before you go; plus, Chelsea Handler interviewed.
New facilities, new experience achieved through major renovation.
Here’s your complete guide to this year’s Fiesta, with profiles, listings, and more.
July
Making trash is easy; dealing with it is not.
Santa Barbara G-man Tom Parker fights for an innocent man’s release from death row.
A roundup of Santa Barbara authors and the community’s favorite books.
Listening to Popsicko, Music Academy of the West, and UCSB’s Amanda Gregory.
June
The legendary shaper Renny Yater, artist John Comer, and others showcase history at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.
Here’s a glimpse of Santa Barbara’s job scene as it emerges from the pandemic.
Four athletes who made sports history on the playing fields.
Our annual ode to the great outdoors.
This Miami native and daughter of Cuban immigrants celebrates life’s wild and concrete forms.
May
The White Buffalo Land Trust is leading an ambitious regenerative agriculture project on a 1,000-acre property.
Architects, antiquers, nursery pros, chefs, and others celebrate indoors and out.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama shares wisdom through UCSB Arts & Lectures.
Every local high school grad can get a free education.
April
Find the perfect summer experience for your kids using Santa Barbara’s complete guide to fun — in person or virtually.
We’d like to introduce eight eco-warriors from Santa Barbara County and beyond.
America’s largest digital health network started around a kitchen table on Voluntario Street.
The NAACP leader is using science facts to overcome inoculation fears.
March
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is confronting COVID with a full slate of films, tributes, and more.
‘No Time Like the Future’ is Michael J. Fox’s fourth best-selling book.
The “Independent” revives its annual ode to the creatures of our community.
Try these 12 burgers to celebrate the return of our annual eating extravaganza.
Marian Regional Medical Center staff never seem to sleep.
February
Santa Barbara fishermen team with shellfish farmer to build new industry, help kelp forests.
Teaching virtually has not been working well for all elementary students.
Read on for a bride and groom’s pandemic pivots, this year’s creative trends, a flashback to Kamala Harris’s Courthouse ceremony, and Santa Barbara vendor list.
UC Santa Barbara is featuring the Little Rock Nine’s Minnijean Brown-Trickey and Patrisse Cullors’s Black Lives Matter memoir.
January
The illustrator and surfer uses his art to address social inequalities and build better communities.
Competence and compassion and telling the truth are the promises of the new administration.
Get caught up with a round-up of this issue’s coronavirus coverage.
Here’s what we’re doing to stay, safe, and smiling for 2021.
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