Santa Barbara celebrates Harvest & Halloween

Tis the season for Block Parties! A series of themed Block Parties highlighting the best of Santa Barbara is here. The Downtown Organization of Santa Barbara is producing it’s first Rock the Block party series on Thursday October 27th, called Harvest Fest, from 5pm-8pm on the 700 & 800 blocks of State Street. Rock the Block Harvest Fest invites the general public to attend and wear Halloween costumes for chances to win gifts and prizes from local businesses, and enjoy various games and activities including playing a game of G-H-O-S-T(otherwise known as H-O-R-S-E) with the UCSB Men & Women’s Basketball teams, face painting, Pumpkin Pie Eating Contest, and enjoy reading or borrowing a scary book provided by the Santa Barbara Public Library mobile van, and see the Santa Barbara Independent announce the winning teams of the Best Of Scavenger Hunt. A community table running along State Street is provided for attendees to sit and eat take out from local restaurants. Spooky performances by The Coveralls, La Boheme Professional Dance and World Dance For Humanity will keep attendees howlin’ for more. Local Vendors will also be on site for shoppers. Families and fury friends are all welcomed to join in Halloween costume for a chance to win prizes. Come celebrate and rock the block with us! Participating Organizations: UCSB Athletics, Santa Barbara Public Library, The Santa Barbara Independent, La Boheme Professional Dance, and World Dance For Humanity.

Santa Barbara Monster Mash Party at Paseo Nuevo on October 29th

Monster Mash Dance Party October 29, 3:00pm Let's Do The Monster Mash ~ Scare up some ghouls this year in Downtown SB! Saturday, October 29th 3-6pm: Stop by Paseo Nuevo in your best Halloween costume for a trick-or-treating backpack with candy for the first 300 kids! (ages 4-11). Prizes to best dressed costumes will be randomly handed out! Live DJ in Center Court for a costume dance party.Trick-or-treating throughout Paseo Nuevo stores and at Downtown Businesses until 6pm.

Boo at the Santa Barbara Zoo, October 28-29, 5-8 pm

Boo at the Zoo Santa Barbara Zoo 500 Niños Drive, Santa Barbara, CA Time to get into the Halloween spirit as the Zoo transforms for six nights of safe, traffic-free trick-­or-treating and “monster-ous” thrills and chills. Ticket includes Zoo Train ride, mad science experiments, scare zone, dance party, creepy-crawly animal encounters, and bounce houses.

Santa Barbara Seafood Festival this Saturday 10/15

By the City of Santa Barbara Celebrate Santa Barbara Channel’s bounty and the fishermen who harvest it at the 19th Annual Santa Barbara Harbor & Seafood Festival on Saturday, October 15. This free event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., luring seafood lovers to Santa Barbara Harbor for one of our community’s most cherished events. Timed to celebrate the opening of lobster season, the Festival showcases fresh, regional seafood in addition to live music, maritime education, free boat rides, children’s activities, vessel tours, and more. There’s fun to be had for all ages. The Harbor & Seafood Festival offers an interactive day for visitors and locals alike, reminding us that Santa Barbara Harbor is a working harbor where more than 100 fishermen land millions of pounds of seafood each year, adding $30 million to the local economy and beyond. Come enjoy an abundance of sustainably harvested, high-quality seafood. Meet fishermen face-to-face. Select local fresh-caught lobster, crab, and sea urchin “uni” and have them prepared on the spot. Visit specialty food booths for fish tacos, oysters, mussels, barbequed albacore, clam chowder, and seafood paella. While Juan Dolor, Spencer the Gardner, and Cornerstone play live on a main stage, peruse special festival memorabilia, shop for a variety of art, clothing, and other unique gifts, and enjoy free harbor boat rides aboard the Double Dolphin and Kelpie. The Santa Barbara Harbor & Seafood Festival is presented by the City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, Inc., and the Santa Barbara Harbor Merchants’ Association, along with various community partners and volunteers. Visit HarborFestival.org for more details.