Santa Barbara has Aloha Spirit! July 27th at Ehlings Park

Santa Barbara Greek Festival

Listen to the distinctive sounds of the bouzouki and other exotic instruments played by authentic Greek musicians who perform traditional and popular songs. Delight in the beauty of the elaborate costumes worn by performers as they share their carefully practiced steps and intricate dances with the enthusiastic audience.

Take advantage of a free Greek dance lesson, and enjoy participating in the same dances you would perform in the traditional villages of Greece. Dance the afternoon away, eat a little (or a lot), shop in the Greek marketplace, relax and enjoy yourself under the oaks in the warm embrace of the best Greek culture has to offer.

Santa Barbara Greek Festival at Oak Park
Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28, 2013

• Saint Barbara Agora — our Greek market.
  Featuring extra virgin olive oil from our own olive grove, 
• cookbooks, aprons, posters, and much more...
• Delicious Greek Food!
• Dance to Live Greek Music
• Greek Folk Dancing
• Orthodox Books and Icons
• Raffle including great prizes!
• Meet old friends and make new ones...
• ...and much, much more!
• for a Map and directions to the Festival, click here

Best Secret Thrift Shop in Santa Barbara!

Assistance League of Santa Barbara

Thrift Show

1259 Veronica Spring Road

Santa Barbara 

(off Las Positas)

Why is this shop a secret?

Because the Thrift Shop's conditional use permit
prevents public advertising and limits its shop hours
Word-of-mouth brings customers from the
Tri-counties and as far as Los Angeles!

Donation and Thrift Shop Hours
Mondays 10-3
Wednesdays 10-3
Saturdays 10-1
(Closed National Holidays)

All items are "gently" used and/or new
women, men, teen and children's 
including designer clothing, shoes, purses
and accessories, books and toys,
household goods, gifts and unique items
seasonal items and jewelry

Assistance League of Santa Barbara is a nonprofit all volunteer organization that develops and implements philanthropic programs to benefit children and adults in Santa Barbara County.

The Obon Buddist Festival on July 20th

After a 30 year hiatus, we are please to announce that Obon Dancing and Celebration will be returning to Santa Barbara

Location

Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara 1015 E. Montecito Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Obon Festival DatesJuly 20, 2013

Obon Festival TimesSat: 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Bon Odori Dancing on Saturday4:00 pm - Odori starts - Session 1

6:00 pm - Odori starts - Session 2

Schedule

1:00 pm Obon Festival

1:00 pm Ikebana Japanese Flower Arranging Demonstration

1:00 pm Shakuhachi Japanese Flute Performance

1:00 pm Kendo Japanese Fencing Demonstration

1:00 pm Fuji Japanese Music and Dance Performance

4:00 pm Obon Odori Dancing I    

5:00 pm Togen Daiko Japanese Drumming    

6:00 pm Obon Odori Dancing II    

6:45 pm Closing Words of Reflection

Obon Odori Practice See web site

Event Title

Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara Obon Festival 

Location

Buddhist Church of Santa Barbara 

1015 E. Montecito Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Japanese Obon Festival and Bon Odori Schedule

http://www.japanese-city.com/calendar/events/p/obon-and-practice.php

California Wine Festival-Santa Barbara, July 18, 19, 20

California Wine Festival

Thursday, July 18, 2013

6:30 - 9 pm

Casa De La Guerra Courtyard

This exciting event precedes Santa Barbara's world-famous “Old Spanish Days” Fiesta by a few weeks, and in the spirit of Fiesta, the night is charged with exciting Spanish music, passionate flamenco dancing, and spicy tapas. California's finest wines will be spotlighted along with hot Spanish imports! Don't miss this festive upscale event! Ticket price includes all wine and food samples and an 18 oz keepsake win

Advance Ticket Price - $49 (Gate Price $55)

Friday, July 19, 2013

5 - 6pm

Fess Parker's Doubletree - Reagan Room(near carousel)

633 E. Cabrillo Blvd, Santa Barbara, CA

The elegant and friendly confines of Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort are the perfect setting for our first Cabernet Clinic and Tasting. Three winemakers, from three vineyards, who that have produced three distinct Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons for our enlightenment and enjoyment. We'll explore this trio of California’s most beautiful Cabs and how they express themselves differently. These award-winning winemakers take us through the process of creating their wines as a result of variations in vineyard site and winemaker techniques. Many elements are at play for these artists, including cooperage, fluctuations of maceration times as well as terroir among others. Each winemaker will pour his creation and discuss with a Q & A session with each.

Featuring:

Patti Bello of B&E Vineyards

David Parrish of Parrish Family Vineyards 

Mike Mooney of Chateau Margene

Don Brady of Robert Hall Winery

Craig Stoller of Sextant Winery

Advance Ticket Price - $40 (Gate Price $60)

Friday, July 19, 2013

6:30 – 9 pm

Chase Palm Park (near carousel)

This romantic evening of rare wine tasting begins with a champagne reception under the stars at Santa Barbara's charming old-world carousel at Chase Palm Park Plaza. Extremely limited reserve level wines are matched with gourmet appetizers from top local chefs, artisan cheeses and gourmet chocolates and truffles while live bluesy jazz keeps things super cool. Ticket price includes all wine and food samples and an 18 oz keepsake wine glass.

Advance Ticket Price - $110 (Gate Price $140)

Saturday, July 20, 2013

12 -4 pm*

Chase Palm Park Oceanside

Sip your favorite wines and savor all the gourmet foods for an additional 60 minutes (Enter at 12pm, not 1 pm) at this years Beachside Wine Festival. Avoid the crowds and lines, step right up to your favorite wineries and restaurants without waiting. Enter into an uncrowded Festival grounds and enjoy extra time to talk and sample with the winemakers and restaurateurs before the general public is admitted at 1:00 pm. Early Entrance Tickets do not include admission to VIP Pavilion. Ticket price includes all wine and food samples and an 18 oz keepsake wine glass. Only 500 available!

Advance Ticket Price - $94 (Gate Price $105)

Saturday, July 20, 2012 

1 - 4pm 

Chase Palm Park Oceanside

Hit the grassy, palm-lined Chase Palm Park to experience the quintessential California wine tasting event at our 10th Annual California Wine Festival grand finale. Indulge in this heady, summertime ‘right of pleasure’ and join the afternoon-long celebration -- Unlimited tasting of fine wine & foods, plus sun, sea and music. Sip hundreds of vintage California wines, sample dozens of hot and cold gourmet appetizers, artisan breads and cheeses, fresh cut fruits, and for a change of taste, sample local and regional craft brews too. Ticket price includes all wine and food samples and an 18 oz keepsake wine glass.

Advance Ticket Price - $69 (Gate Price $80)

to purchase tickets online and see schedule, click here:

Unique Santa Barbara Boutique - Blue Lotus Jewelry and Boutique

Blue Lotus Jewelry and Boutique

135 E de la Guerra

Santa Barbara 

This treasure boutique is as unique, 

beautiful and charming as Santa Barbara herself!

Filled to the brim with handmade jewelry, art, 

mixed media, glass and metal sculptures all 

designed and created by local artists and jewelers

Add to these wonderful finds gorgeous-fair trade 

clothes, tea, chocolate and more....

New artists are featured regularly and the atmosphere 

along with the talented artist-owners and staff couldn't be
more helpful and fun.
Put this wonderful stop on your itinerary!  You
will be glad you did.
for more information, click here:

Santa Barbara French Fest July 13 and 14th

A not to be missed Event!

Bastile Day is coming soon, and that means it's again time for the Santa Barbara French Festival and the famous Poodle Parade (Sunday at 6:15 p.m.). All kinds of poodles participate each year: we've seen pedigree world champions (a.k.a. “canine topiary”) to shaggy cockapoos. Sometimes Mademoiselle Pseudo-Poodle shows up (she's a great dane with big crêpe paper puffs).

All Registered Dogs and their owners are welcome to participate in the parade at no charge. This event is just for fun, so no prizes will be awarded. Costumed and decorated poodles are especially welcome, (and even the poodle wanna-bees can join in the fun)!

Sign up for the Poodle Parade any time in advance at the Festival or at the Information booth during the Festival. All well-behaved, licensed, vaccinated poodles are welcome. This is one of the Festival's most popular events. Be sure to invite your friends and bring your camera.

for a festival schedule, click here:

A bientot!

Kardboard Kayak Race Team Challenge - July 13th

Kardboard Kayak Races
(West Beach)
 
Where: On West Beach across from Sambo’s Restaurant
What: Kardboard Kayak Race Team Challenge—Build it & Race it.
When: Saturday July 13th; 12-3pm
Cost: $25 (SBMM members), $30 (non-members).
To Register: Go to www.sbmm.org or call (805) 962-8404 x115


(Number of Teams are limited, so to guarantee entry, please register early)

Our Kardboard Kayak Race is where teams participate in a battle of wits, design capabilities, and courage! Teams of up to 4 will receive 2 sheets of cardboard, 1 roll of tape, a marker, a utility knife, a yardstick, and one hour to construct a functioning kayak. Then they will be ready to race other teams in their heat, finding out whose design can hold up to the pressure of paddling out to a buoy and back. The Kayak Race is divided into separate heats, with prizes awarded to participants in the Family Fun heat (geared toward family groups where kayak paddlers must be 14 years old or younger) and the Paddling Pros heat (geared toward adult and/or “skilled” competitors). Speed will be the true test!

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum in collaboration with Semana Nautica and sponsored by Union Bank, hosts the annual SBMM Kardboard Kayak Race onSaturday, July 13th from 1 - 3 pm (registration: 12pm). Supported by Santa Barbara County Parent Click and Santa Barbara Family Life, in addition to, Channel Island Outfitters, Condor Express, Sambo’s Restaurant, and Santa Barbara Sailing Center.

UCSB features Hitchcock's Thrillers at the SB Courthouse Sunken Gardens for the Summer

Vertigo

FREE
EVENT

FRI, JUL 5
8:30 PM

COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Add to Calendar 

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Alternate dates for this performance:

WED, JUL 3 / 7:30 PM

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Alfred Hitchcock Nights: Eight Classic Films of Obsession, Mystery and Suspense
FREE EVENT

A retired San Francisco police detective investigates the mysterious activities of an old friend’s beautiful, much-younger wife (Kim Novak), all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her. James Stewart plays the acrophobic private eye with dizzying élan. (1958, 128 min.)

Mature themes. May not be suitable for young children.

Outdoor screenings under the stars at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden. Bring blankets, low-backed beach chairs and a picnic.

Films presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures, Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, Santa Barbara County Park Foundation, and the Community Services Department of Santa Barbara County. Films at UCSB presented with support from the UCSB Summer Cultural and Enrichment Program and the Freshman Summer Start Program.

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Special thanks to:

Enjoy the Fourth of July Celebrations! Here's a schedule of events in Santa Barbara area communities

Thanks to all who have offered suggestions for this year's them. After much deliberation, the theme for our 51st Annual 4th of July Parade will be...

2013 Theme: America the Beautiful

The announcement of the theme gives participants in the parade some structure to help them prepare their presentation. “The United States of America is more than just a land within a defined border - it is an ideal for which the American People strive. Humankind is uplifted when we each have before us a principle that, if each embrace it, will bring the nation as close as can be to grace. We set aside selfish gain and each uphold the inalienable Rights of the other that ours may truly become the Land of the Free. The theme for Santa Barbara’s 51st Annual July 4th of July Parade is America the Beautiful. In a poem, later a song, of this title, we find words inspired by a vision of the America that can be. The events of the day will celebrate the beauty of this nation, its land and its people united in common purpose as Americans.”

The parade will take place on Thursday July 4, 2013.

The grand march begins at 1:00 p.m. at Micheltorena Street and proceeds down State Street to Old Town Santa Barbara, concluding at Cota Street.

See the Parade Here!

View Larger Map

Here are the rest of the area events:

Santa Barbara Fireworks 

This event occurs in downtown Santa Barbara, along the waterfront. Co-sponsored by SPARKLE and the city of Santa Barbara, the festivities begin at noon at West Beach on Cabrillo Blvd and include food & beverage vendors and musical entertainment. Fireworks begin at 9pm. View the information page for details about this year's events.

The 16th annual Goleta Fireworks Festival will be launched July 4 from Girsh Park.

Please join us at the park for an afternoon of fun-filled entertainment for all ages, capped by a spectacular fireworks display. As in previous years, this will be a family friendly, alcohol-free event.

Date: Thursday, July 4th, 2013
Time: 4:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Location: Girsh Park - Located on the south side of the Camino Real Market Place
Tickets: $6.00 Adults , Children (12 and under) - FREE (with accompanied adult) this year - Sponsored by Deckers

The kids can enjoy inflatable jumpers, face painters, and other activities.

All kids games are FREE!

 goletafireworks.org

Goleta Elks Lodge Family Fun Fair

The Elks Lodge’s free Fourth of July Family Fun Fair will begin at 11 a.m. There will be barbecued chicken and tri-tip as well as family friendly games, pony rides and entertainment. The event, at the Elks Lodge, 150 N. Kellogg Ave., and will end at 5 p.m.

Solvang 4th of July Parade 

This event occurs in the city of Solvang, CA, 30 minutes north of Santa Barbara. The annual parade begins at 11am on Mission Drive in the city of Solvang and travels down Mission Drive, turns on Fourth Street and back to Copenhagen Drive. Festivities continue at Mission Santa Ines and feature food, fun music and culminating with a fireworks display 

when the sun sets. The event is free to the public. For more information, see solvangusa.com

4th of July Arts and Crafts Show

2227 Garden Street, S

You are invited to this very popular show which, for many years, was held on the grounds of the Santa Barbara Mission. You'll like our new location. Featuring local artists, we have fabulous oil and water colors, photography, glass, sculptures, unique jewelry, clothing gift items, and more. Free admission.

The Village Fourth Parade 

Montecito

This event occurs in Montecito, CA, minutes south of Santa Barbara. Starting at Upper Manning Park, the annual Village Fourth Parade is a celebration of community and patriotism. The festivities continue, following the parade, at Lower Manning Park. There is plenty of food & music. To participate in the parade, call by July 1st. Parade starts at 11:30am and the Lower Manning Park festivities begin immediately after. At 7:30am, on the morning of the fourth, there is a pancake breakfast at the San Ysidro Firehouse. Tickets available at the door. For more information, call 805-969-2026

Stow House Old-Fashioned 4th of July -

 

This event occurs in the city of Goleta, CA, minutes north of Santa Barbara. Sponsored by the Goleta Historical Society and Stow House, this annual celebration from 11am to 4pm includes strong pro-family and turn-of-the-century traditions. Enjoy hayrides, live music and dancing and a non-stop schedule of on-stage musicians. For more information, call 805-681-7216

Elks Lodge Family Fun Fair

This event occurs in the city of Goleta, CA, minutes north of Santa Barbara. 4th of July Family Fun Fair. Celebrating the American family with an all-day family fun fair. July 4th, 11-am-5pm. Free admission. Full BBQ tri-ip and chicken dinner Noon-4:30pm, hamburgers & hot dogs. Music & entertainment for the whole family. Bingo, pull-tabs, raffle, pony rides, children's crafts area. Local arts & crafts on sale. Santa Barbara Elks Lodge, 150 N. Kellog Ave, Goleta. (805) 964-6858