Santa Barbara Guide to the Fourth of July

By the edhat staff

The long holiday weekend is almost here! While some may be heading out of town, others will be staying put and enjoying the beauty and festivities provided by our hometown. 

Below is a guide of what we’ve gathered will be happening on the South Coast on July 4th. Did we miss something? We probably did, so email us at info@edhat.com to include any information in this post.

Santa Barbara Fun and Fireworks Display

The City of Santa Barbara will host its annual Fourth of July Celebration provided by the City’s Waterfront and Parks and Recreation Departments. The yearly tradition will transform Santa Barbara’s waterfront for a full day of family-friendly activities on Tuesday, July 4.

The event will include a stage on the sands of West Beach with a full lineup of free live music and dance performances sponsored by the PARC Foundation starting at noon, and the closures of State Street, from Gutierrez Street to Cabrillo Boulevard, and Cabrillo Boulevard from Castillo Street to Calle Cesar Chavez, to allow crowds to take the celebration to the streets starting at 6 p.m.

The day will conclude with a 20-minute fireworks display, presented by Garden State Fireworks and sponsored by the City’s Waterfront Department. Fireworks will launch from West Beach starting at approximately 9 p.m. The show will be simulcast on local radio station KjEE (92.9 FM) and live-streamed on KEYT.com, both longtime media partners of this community event.

Schedule of Events

West Beach

Enjoy a full day of live music at the West Beach bandstand, sponsored by the PARC Foundation, before a 20-minute fireworks display presented by Garden State Fireworks and sponsored by the City’s Waterfront Department. Local radio station KjEE (92.9 FM) will simulcast the fireworks soundtrack. 

Full Schedule:

• 12 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. – DJ Joseph Souza
• 1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. – Peer Pressure
• 2 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. – The Free Radicals
• 3 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. – Rock Shop Review
• 4 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. – Golf Sucks
• 5 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. – Drifting Dimension
• 6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. – Time Travelers Bridget & Sophia
• 6:45 p.m. – 6:55 p.m. – La Boheme Dancers
• 7 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – The Roosters
• 7:50 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. – Spencer the Gardener
• 9 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. – Fireworks! 

Cabrillo Boulevard Sidewalk at West Beach

• 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.  – Enjoy a special street fair with festive food vendors, sponsored by the PARC Foundation. This year’s vendors include Timbers Roadhouse, Tinkers Hot Dogs, Lidos Philly Cheese Steaks, G Brothers Kettle Corn, and Deli Doctor Sandwiches

Stearns Wharf

Visit Stearns Wharf for free musical entertainment and face painting, compliments of the Stearns Wharf Merchants Association. While enjoying Stearns Wharf, explore wharf merchants offering jewelry, shells, arts, crafts, clothing, wine tasting, fishing gear rentals, and festive treats, along with Wharf restaurants offering fresh seafood, steaks, burgers, and more.

• 12 p.m. – Live music by Brasscals
• 2 p.m. – Free face painting
• 4 p.m. – Live music by Area 51
   

Additional information about festive activities happening on Stearns Wharf can be found here.

Pershing Park

• 4:30 p.m. – See the Santa Barbara Foresters take on the SLO Blues during their annual Fourth of July game. Individual tickets are available at the gate. Adult tickets are $7, tickets for seniors and children 4-12 are $3, and children 3 and under get in free.
   

Santa Barbara Courthouse – Sunken Gardens

Celebrate Independence Day with Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation’s free outdoor concert featuring Santa Barbara’s beloved The Prime Time Band, Vandenberg Space Force Base Honor Guard, and a special performance by Hula Anyone. The concert will take place on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 at 5:00 PM at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Gardens (1100 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101).  

The program features patriotic classics, pop tunes, and family favorites including ‘Captain America March’ (from the Marvel film, Captain America), ‘Silverado’ (from the film 1985), ‘Shut up and Dance’ (2014 hit made popular by Walk the Moon), Eighties Flashback (‘Thriller’, ‘Time After Time’, ‘Eye of the Tiger’, ‘Up Where You Belong’, ‘You Give Love a Bad Name’), and Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’. Local hula dance studio, Hula Anyone, will be dancing to “Eighties Flashback” and ‘America the Beautiful’. 

“We are excited to gather with our friends, family and neighbors to celebrate 4th of July and remember all of those who have fought and continue fighting for our freedom and this wonderful country,” said VFW Lifetime Member and PCVF co-founder Lt. John Blankenship (USN, former). 

Guests are encouraged to arrive early to claim a spot on the grass, as well as bring a picnic, blanket and low beach chairs for this annual free concert. To learn more, please visit https://www.pcvf.org/4t-of-july-concert. 

Goleta

If you are looking for something fun to do in Goleta on the 4th, head over to the Goleta Valley Historical Society’s Annual Old Fashioned 4th of July at the Stow House from 11am – 4pm. For more information visit https://goletahistory.org/old-fashioned-4th-july/.

Fourth of July Street Closures

Expect significant traffic delays beginning at 6 p.m. on July Fourth. Police will be closing multiple access points to portions of the beachfront to vehicular traffic. Please plan accordingly if you are traveling to the areas listed below. Stearns Wharf will be closed to incoming vehicles starting at 3:30 p.m. and no vehicles will be allowed to exit the Wharf starting at 4:30 p.m. Road closures will be lifted approximately 1 hour after the professional fireworks have concluded.

Significant street closures within the City of Santa Barbara include:

• 6 PM: Cabrillo Blvd., closed from Calle Cesar Chavez to Harbor Way

• 6 PM: Castillo St. at West Montecito St.

• Vehicular traffic accessing the “Funk Zone” and the Natoma Avenue neighborhood will be limited.

• 6PM: Garden St. and US 101. 

• Any traffic exiting the 101 Freeway at Garden St. after 6:00pm will be diverted north, away from the beachfront area. 

July 5 Beach Cleanup Volunteer Opportunity

On July 5, the City of Santa Barbara will partner with Santa Barbara Channelkeeper to host beach cleanups at nearby beaches to ensure any litter left over the holiday does not make its way to the ocean. Cleanups will take place at Leadbetter Beach and East Beach from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Gloves and buckets will be provided for all volunteers. Community members that would like to help with cleanup efforts can register here.

More information about the Fourth of July Celebration including parking and road closures can be found at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/July4.

FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL, MOSTLY

• Personal fireworks are dangerous and illegal in Goleta, Santa Barbara, all unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County. This includes the Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Buellton, and Solvang. Safe and Sane fireworks are only allowed within the city limits of Santa Maria, Guadalupe, and Lompoc. Even pyrotechnics labeled “safe and sane” are illegal. If you are caught with fireworks of any kind, the fine could be costly. The use of unauthorized fireworks can easily create a brush fire or result in serious injury. Misdemeanor citations could be issued to those possessing or using personal fireworks.

• Fireworks cause thousands of injuries and fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks started an estimated 12,264 fires in 2021. Hospital emergency rooms across the country treated approximately 11,500 people for firework-related injuries that same year. Children younger than 15 years of age accounted for almost one-quarter of the estimated 2021 firework-related injuries.

• Safe and Sane fireworks are only allowed within the city limits of Santa Maria, Guadalupe, and Lompoc. For areas where fireworks are legal:

  • Have Water Handy: Have a hose or buckets of water nearby in case of a malfunction or fire. Douse spent or malfunctioning fireworks in water before discarding to prevent a trash fire.

  • Alcohol and Fireworks are a Bad Combination: Impairment can greatly increase the chance of injury when fireworks are involved. Do not use fireworks while under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

  • Do Not Touch Unexploded Fireworks: If a firework does not go off, do not approach or attempt to handle it.

Police & Fire Joint Enforcement:

• The Santa Barbara City Police Department and Fire Inspectors are teaming up this year to monitor illegal fireworks by conducting active enforcement patrols over the holiday weekend. Possession or use of fireworks in cities where it’s not allowed could result in a citation. 
   
• Police are expecting a large influx of people within the City of Santa Barbara over the holiday weekend. In addition to the joint fireworks enforcement, SBPD will have officers in the field looking for impaired drivers. Also, officers will be assigned to foot patrols along the State Street Promenade and waterfront area Tuesday, July 4. There will be additional traffic patrols throughout the City starting Friday, June 30.
   
• We request that all those driving, bicycling, and walking within the community abide by traffic laws and have a sober driver, utilize taxis, or use a ride-share app if you are consuming alcoholic beverages. If you see an impaired driver call 9-1-1.

Protect Your Pets

Santa Barbara City Animal Control and Santa Barbara County Animal Services would like to remind pet owners that are four-legged family members go missing during the Fourth of July, more than any other day of the year. If you are attending the Fourth of July festivities or will not be home during the fireworks, please secure your pet indoors. It is not recommended to leave your pet outside loose in a yard on the evening of July Fourth.

• Provide a safe place for your pets and make sure the doors and windows of your home are securely shut. Make sure to close windows and draw curtains and blinds to add an extra layer of soundproofing.

• Consider using a white noise machine, fan or radio to drown out outside noise.

• This is also a timely reminder to update your pet’s ID tag and microchip info.

If your pet unfortunately gets lost, contact Animal Control at (805) 963-1513 or Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter: (805) 681-5285. 

As a reminder, read Joan the Dog Coach’s edhat post on “Tips for a Dog Friendly Fourth of July.”

Stay Safe and Hydrated! 

• Drink plenty of water.
• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting and light-colored clothing.
• Try to limit sun exposure.
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ and reapply every two hours.