Santa Barbara Local » Fiesta

2009 Fiesta Posters at Online Store, No Contest?

Jued Martinez — Fri, 29 May 2009 23:03:43 +0000

So I’ve been wanting to know when the Fiesta Poster Competition was going to be held. About a month ago I called the Fiesta Offices and was told that it was up to the Fiesta President to decide whether or not there would actually be a contest, I and a few other artists were interested in entering a piece for consideration.

So I emailed the fiesta office today as a follow up and the President Anthony Borgatello to find out what’s up.
I’ll post the responses ( or non-responses ) Here!

And here’s the first response from Office Administrator Tisha Hawkins:

Thank you for your interest in the 2009 Fiesta Poster. Last year we held a competition to determine the Fiesta Poster. This year the El Presidente choose to commission a poster instead of having a competition. You may see the 2009 Fiesta poster on our website at www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org.

Again, we do appreciate your interest. Please check back next year, as the El Presidente for 2010 may choose to have a competition.

Regards,
Tisha

Tisha Hawkins
Office Administrator
Old Spanish Days
(805) 962-8101
(805) 962-9943 fax

As of Wednesday May 27, No Reply from El Presidente Anthony Borgatello

As of Friday May 29, No Reply from El Presidente Anthony Borgatello

Well, turns out there’s no contest to be held the decision seems to have already been made about the final artwork as it’s online on the fiesta site in their store area. Darn, I was really hoping to enter this year. so I wonder who the artist is and how they were chosen instead of allowing community artists to participate as usually happens yearly?

A Little Old Spanish Days Fiesta Information

Jued Martinez — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:43:56 +0000

The Next Old Spanish Days Fiesta Takes Place In:

The Next Fiesta is : August 5-9, 2009

[ The following information from the Official Fiesta Website ] – It is important to note that Old Spanish Days Fiesta is unique among festivals, both local and national, in that it is run primarily by a volunteer Board of Directors of 35 members who represent a broad cross-section of the community. The Board is supported by one full-time paid staff person. The Board selects an El Presidente or La Presidente who presides over the meetings during his or her year of tenure, serves as a spokesperson for the board, and serves as an ambassador of goodwill during Fiesta to visitors and residents. Fiesta is an important Santa Barbara tradition that has continued for over 75 years for a number of important reasons. Fiesta fosters a unique spirit among locals who participate; it is an important coming together which encourages community cooperation, collaboration, and growth.

The festival has grown due to the overwhelming interest of so many different organizations to develop and maintain Fiesta as an extension and expression of their place in the community. The annual event provides an education of the history, customs, and traditions of the American Indian, Spanish, Mexican, and early American settlers that comprise the rich cultural heritage of Santa Barbara. Fiesta is a unique forum for the cultural expression of our diversity. Fiesta provides a vehicle for the non-profit and community service groups to raise funds for local charities and social service organizations.

The event annually draws thousands of visitors from around the world who contribute to the local economy. Old Spanish Days Fiesta has grown in stature and reputation to become one of the five best regional festivals in the United States. Fiesta performers come from around the nation and Mexico to participate. Celebrities of international renown who have participated or performed in Fiesta include Leo Carrillo, Will Rogers, Shirley Temple, Charles Lindberg, William Randolph Hearst, Don Wilson, Paul Whitman, and Delores Del Rio. Old Spanish Days Fiesta is incorporated as a not-for-profit organization as allowed by law under the IRS 501(c)(3).

Visit the Old Spanish Fiesta Days Website

Old Spanish Days is August 5-9, 2009

Jued Martinez — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:30:41 +0000

Celebration of old Spanish Days, Fiesta! - First celebrated in 1924, it all began when some local families got together to preform unique presentations of 19th century Spanish California. Local businesses also wanted to get in on the act to attract Tourists just like new Orleans and other cities such as the Rose Parade in Pasadena.

At the same time the Lobero theatre was openning, so a committe was gathered to think of ways to celebrate. Not only was the first Fiesta for the opening of the Theatre, but they also had in mind to make it an annual celebration to highlight and show off the singing and dancing of the local community.

In any case it’s going to be one big party throughout Santa Barbara. Not like it used to be in the old days, or unlike in the 1980′s when people walked around with Margaritas in hand, going from every bar and business in town while enjoying their Adult Beverages. The times are much more settled down these days.

There’s confetti everywhere, and don’t be surprised to have an egg-filled-with-confetti broken over your head. You’ll look very festive with all of that colored paper in your hair! It’s a tradition going way back, where families save empty egg-shells and fill them with confetti and colorful wrapping, just for the purpose of breaking them over someones head!

Wikipedia sez: Cascarones or confetti eggs are festive, hollow chicken egg shells, filled with confetti, meant to be thrown or broken over someone’s head(usually as a surprise from behind), scattering confetti all over the person. Breaking the eggs over someone’s head can be painful if done hard enough, but since the eggshells are so brittle no one normally gets hurt. This tradition is most often carried out among friends and family. Cascarones derived from Mexico and have recently regained popularity in the southwestern United States. They are used for many different occasions but, especially Easter. Having one broken over your head is said to bring good luck.

There will be plenty of Spanish Style Good Eats too! You can be taken on Courthouse Fiesta Tours Daily from 10am to 3pm for free, every half hour. There’ll be the Mercado de la Guerra ( Located just off State Street, Next to City Hall), where the Main Stage has lots of Flamenco, Spanish, Music – Both spanish and Current Rock Acts playing for the crowd…Not to Mention the Food Booths! With Carnitas (Fried Pork) Sandwiches, Birra (Goat Meat) Tacos, BBQ’d Corn and Ribs, and the list could go on and on!

There’ll be vendors selling many items like clothings with Spanish Appeal, Don’t forget to stop by the Massage Booth! Last year, $10.00 bor a 15 minute Deep Muscle Massage just takes away the pain from all of the walking you did! Look for them Next to City Hall! Hopefully they’ll be here again!

More info Soon – my fingers are tired! In the meanwhile visit the Official Old Spanish Days Website.

Viva La Fiesta History

Jued Martinez — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:47:38 +0000

History of La Primavera – Santa Barbarans intent upon reviewing the past met in September 1919 to organize an association to arrange a spring carnival. Their aim was to “perpetuate through a spring festival the memory of the early Spanish and pioneer days of California, not alone of Santa Barbara.” (Photo: fFiesta 2007 of Flower Girls signalling the beginning of the main parade along State Street).

The promoters hoped to secure a playwright who would weave “data on the Spanish and pioneer days into an historical pageant.” The masque was to be one in which old time families could participate, with only the leads being taken by professional actors.

Officials expected that “the winter tourist who had sojourned at San Francisco, San Diego and other tourist centers will come this way at the end of his stay to take part in the spring festival.”

La Primavera Association was formed to promote the undertaking. They worked to sell membership buttons on which there was a red replica of the tower of Saint Barbara on a white ground, to promote seat sales for the projected pageant, and to sell Primavera flags.

The flag which flies during Old Spanish Days Fiestas has its origin in the festival of April 28 and 29, 1920. The banner is red, white, and yellow with Saint Barbara’s tower in the corner. During that first festival, small printed silk flags on spearhead staffs and larger printed cotton and wool bunting of both festival and Spanish ensign designs were sold.

The Primavera banner became official and flew along with the United States flag when the new City Hall was dedicated on June 2, 1923. According to the Morning Press on June 3, 1923, it “yesterday was officially adopted as the city festival flag.”

In soliciting purchasers of the five-dollar Primavera memberships, the finance and publicity committee stated that the intent of the organization was to “establish an annual reunion day for all early day residents of California” and to “arrange for a fittingly beautiful and dignified celebration and historically accurate representation of the early or springtime period of California’s colorful customs, romantic life and interesting history.”

When the directors of La Primavera Association met on February 5, 1920, they were delighted with the portions of a projected play which Wallace Rice read to them. He had written it after an exhaustive study of California and Santa Barbara traditions.

He saw that there was fine local talent and many descendants of the old settlers could portray Spanish and American pioneers. Qualified musicians collected and recorded early Indian, California, and Spanish music for the play. Mrs. Herminia De la Guerra Lee assisted in securing and training dancers.

When Samuel Hume came from the Greek Theatre in Berkeley to direct the pageant, he told Santa Barbarans that nature had given them a perfect setting for the performance (near Canon Perdido Street and east of the former Presidio). This location is now the Peabody Stadium of Santa Barbara High School. Then it was a creek bed. Spanish traditions lent remarkable color to it.

There were fewer than a dozen speaking parts in the show, but the chorus, dancers, and other participants brought the total to about three hundred.

“El Barbareño,” played by Irving Pichel, recited three prologues to introduce the three acts: the first, Primavera and her twelve dancing months; then, the Spanish; and then, the American periods of Santa Barbara and California history, depicted by appropriate songs and authentic dances.

The “springtime” masque was a theatrical success, but eventually the organization found that it was greatly in debt for the music and the elaborate staging and costuming, and the Primavera Association never presented another offering.

The festivities had not ended Thursday night. On the following morning, horseback sports at Athletic Park occupied riders and entertained guests. In the afternoon, horsemen gaily dressed and decorated with Spanish colors led a parade of school children “dressed in white, garlanded with long green and bright-colored streamers made of fern leaves fastened together with bright flowers.” SOURCE= OldSpanishDays website.