Old Spanish Day
By Old Spanish Days Fiesta
On the steps of the historic Lobero Theatre, where in 1924 the beloved community festival known as “Fiesta” started, board members from Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara (OSD) and the Lobero Theatre unveiled the official poster for the 2023 Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta Auditions. This marks the third year in a row that the Lobero has generously partnered with OSD to bring the Auditions to their historic stage.
On April 15, 2023, the pageantry of Old Spanish Days Fiesta will be on full display when 22 talented young dancers complete for the title of Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta. The community is invited to share in the excitement of the day and watch the talented dancers perform. Tickets are on sale at the Lobero box office, the performance will also be live streamed on the OSD website at www.sbfiesta.org.
“We could not be more grateful to the Lobero Theatre for their ongoing generosity,” said 2023 El Presidente David Bolton. “It will be a dream come true for many of the finalists to dance on the historic stage where Fiesta started 99 years ago this August.”
OSD also announced [last week] an expanded partnership between OSD and local television station, KEYT-TV.
In support of its growing collection of local channels, the “Spirit Auditions” will be replayed during primetime programing on Saturday April 29 and on Sunday April 30, 7-9 pm, on KEYT’s the Now Channel 13.
Finally, one of the most exciting announcements made [last week] was that the partnership with KEYT-TV will include, for the first time ever, simultaneous multi-language live broadcasts of La Fiesta Pequeña (Wednesday, August 2, 2023) and El Desfile Histórico (Friday, August 5, 2023). Viewers can watch these historic events in English on NewsChannel 3 and in Spanish on Telemundo Costa Central, Cox Cable Channel 15.
“Old Spanish Days Fiesta is appreciative of the more than 50-year relationship with KEYT,” added 2023 El Presidente David Bolton. “It is a tremendous service to our community to be able to broadcast multiple events this year live in both English and Spanish during Fiesta. We are looking forward to the start of our Fiesta broadcast season with the exciting Spirit of Fiesta Auditions in April.”
About Old Spanish Days Fiesta: First held in 1924, Fiesta celebrates a period of romance and hospitality through pageantry, dance, music, costume and cuisine. Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation dedicated to honoring and preserving Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage and traditions. Fiesta 2023 will take place in various locations around the city starting August 2 to August 6, 2023. Visit www.sbfiesta.org for more information, to purchase tickets or to make a tax-deductible donation.
I’ve approached several Mayors with the concept of “New Spanish days” as being more ecumenical & could include the Chumash..
They said “No”.
What about Old Santa Barbara Days Fiesta. Then you could include Chumash and Mexican history and others too. And even the rodeo would fit better with that name. I like our local fiesta every year but there’s No reason to keep calling it Spanish days when it’s changed over the years to include more cultures. And maybe it should change a little more even if Spanish stays the main focus. I don’t think the mayor has anything to do with its name though. I think the people who run Fiesta are the ones with that power.
What is the significance of “Spanish” days?
After all the Spanish slaughtered the indigenous and enslaved them?
Why aren’t we celebrating the Boston Tea Party?
They should have a reenactment of the 1824 Chumash rebellion, I’m serious. About 700 Chumash took Mission Santa Barbara and forced the Spanish inside to retreat to the Presidio without bloodshed. It would be much more exciting and unique than a parade and (relatively) accurate replicas of both places still exist.
What does Old Spanish Days celebrate?
Spain conquered this region in the 16th century slaughtering & enslaving the indigenous.
Then in the early 1800s this area became part of Mexico until in mid 1800s when Mexico abandoned CA to the US.
So what does Old Spanish Days celebrate?
Because self-important white people want to dress up like their colonizing ancestors and appropriate indigenous culture while getting drunk and waving on floats.
(*And yes having a Spanish heritage/background counts as white*)
Ah, that explains why Hispanics compete to be the top performers at these events & all the Hispanics selling eggs, and food at these events.
SBLETS – how do you know they’re “Hispanic?” Have you asked them about their ancestry?
SBLETSGET- I was simply asking how you knew the ancestral background of everyone involved. Sounds like you spoke to a few, so that’s that covered. /s
Actually, yes I have had conversations with several dancers and past el Presidentes.
Have you?
And are saying Spanish Days are just to celebrate Spaniards? Quite a bit of whoopla for an area the Spanish conquered, lost to Mexico & then the Mexican government walked away from the area handing it over to the USA.
So in your opinion what is Old Spanish Days celebrating?
6:08
Woah, woah, hang on.
“Self important white people want to…” “appropriate indigenous culture”.
HAHAHAHAHAH. ROFLMAO!!!!!
There is really not a hint of Chumash culture represented in Fiesta! Or do you think that the Spaniards were indigenous??
HAHAH!! OMG!!
Take a breath Alex. The indigenous culture reference was to most of this old Spanish day celebration being about Mexican tradition, dance, culture, etc.
Not many, if any, countries remember their Spanish occupation with fondness, despite this blurb’s claim. The Spanish were brutal, religious zealots, dogmatic and greedy. Please name me one thing they did that was beneficial to California or Mexico?
Sacjon
Although I understand your point of view, the briefest skim of a review of the young people shown in the two photos above shows 13 talented young people with Hispanic last names who competed to participate.
We have a heritage that is good bad ugly but once a year for a week we celebrate the good part. Whatever history shows, we are getting together now and having a party.
If you were ever part of any marginalized group, or even if you haven’t been but are aware to any degree, aren’t you fed up with this Fiesta yet? Native Americans got absolutely SHAFTED by the Spanish and whites that came through here. Today what they did would legitimately be called genocide. Unfortunately it always comes down to parties and dollars here in SB so I think it’s going nowhere anytime soon. Hypocrites.
Do you celebrate Thanksgiving, Basic?
I don’t do a week or two of festivities for it, parties, parades, city officials coming to my house, etc. “Dignitarios” hitting the zoo to drink. None of that. I get my family together to have a nice home cooked meal together and catch up, since you asked. Thanks.
Fiesta is a uniquely Santa Barbara thing. What do you think about our current Fiesta?