Santa Barbara Events & Festivals
Whatever time of year you visit Santa Barbara, you might want to make your to-do lists in pencil rather than pen. Year-round sunshine, ocean views and laid-back luxury set the stage for an abundance of festivals, concerts and special events.
Starting with the star-studded Santa Barbara International Film Festival (January/February), the calendar of The American Riviera® overflows with culture, color, food and fun. Signature events include Old Spanish Days Fiesta, Summer Solstice Parade, Harbor & Seafood Festival, Vintners' Festival, epicure.sb: a month to savor santa barbara, Earth Day Festival and more.
And those are just the special events (though Santa Barbara does have a way of making almost any event special). Live music fills the air above the Santa Barbara Bowl from spring to fall. Local artisans share their work at arts and crafts shows every Sunday and 1st Thursday celebrations every month. Farmers markets, writing conferences, art exhibits, theater performances, lectures - whatever your passion, you'll find something wonderful during your stay. In fact, many somethings. So do bring you planner - just remember that pencil.
Featured Partner
Saturday May 25, 2013
- May 25, 2013 - December 29, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Sunday, Saturday
- Times: 10AM on Saturdays at De La Guerra Plaza and 10AM on Sundays at Public Library
- Location: Downtown Santa Barbara
- Address: De La Guerra St. (Sat) and Anapamu St. (Sun), Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Phone: 805-965-6307
Experience the significant architecture and history of Santa Barbara with walking tours of the downtown area. Join knowledgeable docents from the Architectural Foundation for an exploration of our architectural and landscape design heritage, and the events and people that shaped it.
- May 25, 2013 - May 27, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: 2-6PM
- Address: 37 Mountain Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
- Phone: 805-965-3434
Enjoy nature, live music and lots of art under the sun-dappled sycamores. View & purchase landscape, portrait and figurative paintings by SCAPE artists along Mission Creek. Local bands play throughout the weekend.
- May 25, 2013 - September 03, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: 10:30AM-4:30PM
- Address: 27 W Anapamu, Suite #226, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Phone: 805-705-0562
- Venue: Adventure Hummer and Backroads Wine Tours
Nestled between lakes, forest and the ocean are over 150 vineyards that beckon to travelers to taste some of the finest wines in the country. Our daily tour is aboard a fleet of open air and enclosed luxury Hummers. Tours include tasting fees, souvenir wine glass and a delicious lunch.
- May 25, 2013 - May 27, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Monday, Saturday
- Times: Sat: 2PM and 7PM, Mon: 2PM and 5PM
- Address: 751 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Phone: 805-963-0408
- Venue: Center Stage Theater
A world premiere production. A bilingual play based on the Quiche' Mayan Popol Vuh.
- May 25, 2013 - May 31, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Various days and times
- Phone: 805-963-SAVE
Celebrate all things cycling! Featuring daily events such as: bike challenges, classes, fashion, music, rides, time trials, bike to work breakfasts, kids activities, movies and so much more! Please visit the website for a complete list of daily events and activities.
- May 25, 2013 - October 07, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Guided Tours Available Saturdays & Sundays at 2:00PM, Museum Open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00AM-5:00PM, Sunday Noon-5:00PM
- Address: 136 E. De La Guerra St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Phone: 805-966-1601
- Venue: Santa Barbara Historical Museum
The exhibit will feature works from the museum's collection by renowned artists such as Alexander Harmer, Ludmilla Welch, A.M. Podchernikoff, Charles Rollo Peters, and Henry Chapman Ford.
- May 25, 2013
- Times: 8PM
- Location: Hatlen Theatre UCSB
- Address: University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
- Phone: 805-893-7221
- Venue: University of California Santa Barbara-University Center
The UCSB Theater and Dance Dept presents the tragic story of Eurydice as she travels to the afterllfe in search of her father and subsequently struggles between life and death.
- May 25, 2013 - May 27, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: 10AM-6PM Daily
- Location: Old Mission Santa Barbara
- Address: 2201 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
- Phone: 805-682-4713
On Memorial Day weekend the plaza of the Old Mission will be transformed with 200 colorful, large-scale street paintings created by 400 artists and young people.
- May 25, 2013
- Times: 12-5PM
- Address: UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
- Phone: 805-893-2951
- Venue: Art, Design & Architecture Museum at UCSB
The group show, entitled Inside Out, is the culmination of the seven graduate students’ two-year MFA program. For information on the artists and to see examples of their work, please visit http://www.museum.ucsb.edu/exhibitions/upcoming#mfa2013.
- May 25, 2013
- Times: 1-4PM
- Location: Margerum Wine Company Winery
- Address: 59 Industrial Way, Buellton, CA 93427
- Phone: 805-686-8500
Open House camaraderie!Fun people, lots of good wine, and a lunch prepared by our crack staff of culinary superstars. The menu theme is a traditional all American picnic at the winery. We’ll be serving up hot dogs with all the fixings, potato salad, coleslaw, chips and dips.
- May 25, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Saturday
- Times: 8AM-3:30PM
- Location: Santa Barbara, CA
- Phone: 805-259-7229
The perfect foodie day. Hands-on cooking classes for small groups begin with a guided shopping tour of the Fishermen's and Farmers Market. Recipes are fresh, seasonal, and suited to home chefs. A shared meal paired with wines follows the class. All levels welcome.
- May 25, 2013
- Times: 8PM
- Location: Muddy Waters Cafe
- Address: 508 E. Haley Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
- Phone: 805-966-9328
Saturday's show at Muddy Waters is a chance to get back to America's folk roots with a triple lineup of rock, country, blues and folk influenced musicians.
- May 25, 2013 - May 31, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Various times and dates for tours and events
- Location: Various Gardens and Historic Homes in Santa Barbara
- Phone: 805-682-4726
Throughout the month of May enjoy free docent-led tours, garden lovers tours, free garden talk lectures, free admission to some participating venues, garden teas at luxury hotels, special events, exhibits and book signings, free carousel rides and so much more.
- May 25, 2013 - June 16, 2013
- Recurrence: Recurring daily
- Times: Opening Reception: 4/13 6-8PM
- Address: 653 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Phone: 805-966-5375
- Venue: Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum
This exhibition brings together seven artists from Santa Barbara whose practices share a curiosity about human behavior, technology, and language.
- May 25, 2013
- Times: 6:30-8PM
- Address: 1221 State Street, Ste 205, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Phone: 805-962-7776
- Venue: SOhO Restaurant and Music Club
SB Voice Academy hosts vocalists performing current popular music with George Friendenthal on keys, Kevin Winard on Drums and Dan Zimmerman on Guitar.
