Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days parade the largest equestrian parade in the country
Fiesta Santa Barbara is Back!
Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days is back for the first time in three years! And that is cause to celebrate.
Santa Barbara Fiesta Parade with traditional caballeros with costumes and elaborate saddles
A Santa Barbara tradition for 98 years, Fiesta is a city-wide week-long party where locals and visitors alike take to the streets, watch the parades, listen to music, visit Mercados, and eat lots of authentic Mexican-Californian food (local insider tip: line up for the legendary tamales at Our Lady of Guadalupe). Local families line the streets selling homemade Cascarones (confetti eggs) by the hundreds and Mariachi bands walk the streets offering free entertainment.
Spirit of Fiesta getting ready for the show at El Paseo Restaurant
I love Fiesta, it is joyous and colorful and jam packed with people, music, dancing, and food and is not to be missed. Be sure to dress up, everyone gets in the Fiesta Spirit for this gala and since it’s been gone for a few years, this year is bound to be bigger and brighter than ever.
Santa Barbara Fiesta Parade tradition Firefighters at the end of the parade open the fire hydrants for the kids in the crowd
For all the details of the shows, parades and more here is the link to Fiesta 2022.
Santa Barbara Fiesta Parade magnificent horses and riders in traditional caballero attire
5 Steps To A Party-Perfect Garden
As any seasoned Santa Barbara Local will tell you, Fiesta season is Garden Party Season. If your garden is not quite up for visitors, not to worry.
These 5 simple steps will get your garden ready to party in Santa Barbara Style-Viva La Fiesta!
Santa Barbara Old Spanish Days Fiesta Parade with traditionally costumed caballeros and horses
Beautiful Color garden fit for a Fiesta party with Mexican sage, geranium, yarrow
1. Color-The Secret To A Fiesta-Worthy Garden
Pots of brightly colored flowers in vivid colors are essential for creating a Fiesta-worthy atmosphere. Choose Ivy Geranium for its long-lasting and easy-care nature in deep red, vibrant rose, intense violet; add a touch of yellow with a few marigolds for the perfect combination for a summer celebration. Hanging baskets full of Ivy geranium will brighten up any garden party for a quick.
Lumarias along meandering garden path to a Santa Barbara Fiesta garden party
2. Light the way with Luminaria
Brighten up your garden with lighting in a very traditional way, by making luminaria. Luminaria are well-known in New Mexico and Mexico, particularly at Christmas time, and are easy to make.
Put sand or gravel in the bottom of plain white paper bags, place a votive candle in each and place them along your paths. Strings of plain white light bulbs can be hung as well, but there is nothing more magical and authentic for Fiesta than old-fashioned Luminaria.
Montecito landscape drought tolerant design filled with sages, lavender, heliotrope, ivy geranium, lions tail and rockrose. Perfect for a Fiesta garden party.
3. Give Your Garden Some Love
Go through your garden and “give it some love” by picking/clipping or just pulling off spent leaves, flowers and dead branches. Keep this up until every plant is garden party perfect.
Montecito landscape design features lounge chairs in the shade of a oak surrounded by drought tolerant plants sages, lavender, lions tail and ivy geranium
4. Mulch-One Step Instant Improvement
Your garden will look better instantly if you do this ONE STEP: put a deep layer of mulch on every square inch of earth (don’t cover the plants, please). A fresh coat of mulch makes a garden look neat and clean in record time. If you have oak trees, their leaves make the best possible mulch, rake them up and spread them around the rest of your garden. If your neighbors have oak leaves, you might be able to collect more.
Add some Fiesta Spirit to your garden with Red Sunflowers as a bonus attracting pollinators
5. Grab Your Broom
Take a walk around your garden party area and look around. If you are like any normal person, there are cobwebs, dust and debris on the eaves, walls, porches, etc. Grab your broom and sweep everything down including garden furniture for an extra sparkle.
Fiesta Garden party on a summer evening is the perfect way to celebrate the season
Time To Fiesta!
Now that your garden is dazzling invite over a few friends or even a few strangers and get ready for the compliments.
Until next time, fill your garden with joy and Viva La Fiesta!