Fiesta Grande!

Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days. The motto for 2012 is:”Viva la Familia”.

Fiesta is always so Egg-citing! So festive and fun! And while this post covers a couple of the Old Spanish Days, if you’re looking for Animal House coverage–the one following revelers around the War Zone after hours–this isn’t the post for you.

Just a sampling of the myriad “Cascarones”–	–confetti-filled eggs on sale everywhere today.

Don’t get me wrong. Hitting the dance clubs is F-U-N, spelled out in capitals kind of fun, but it also has a time and place, and for me that time has turned-turned-turned. These days I look for a more ordered type of festivity, and since the scope of Fiesta is so grand; packing so many of our Santa Barbara venues with a spectrum of entertainments that range from concerts & carnivals, parades & talent shows–to flamenco dancing & wine tastings, horse shows & pancake breakfasts, it’s easy enough for this blogger to find the right fit.

I won’t be drinking any of these Giganter ‘Ritas! Just check out the ratio of elbow to glass!

Fiesta Pequeña fit pretty well. For me and hundreds of others. Opening night ceremonies finds neighborhood folks and out-of-town visitors alike trundling blankets and beach chairs down to the old Mission, ready to kick off the 5 day celebration of the Spanish influx into California with a free concert on the lawn featuring ethnic music and dance.

Block parties rock…dancing in the streets and all that.

The usual auxiliary suspects are on hand: Tri-Tip Vendors, Cascarone barkers, blowers of bubbles and purveyors of glow sticks, but the start of the event itself is signaled by a more dignified means: the pealing of carillon, and blessing from the Mission’s itinerant father. I’ve spliced a little mariachi and carillon footage into the Fiesta Remix you’ll find at the bottom of the post, and I encourage you to watch. It’s only the third video I’ve ever filmed with my B’Day camera—and in my life, altogether–so a bit of rose-colored viewing is definitely in order.

Or stare at these light sticks long enough first…:)

Just as my tolerance for mimicking a live sardine is in order on Friday. Thousands throng downtown State Street to watch parade: El Desfile Histórico–spilling out of nearby De le Guerra Plaza and rendering the streets progressively less passable. The tiled walkway to the plaza is practically invisible under all the confetti!

Street Sweeper Nightmare…

Lots of fun kiosks selling the essentials…

Guitars for those wishing to play along–

–and fans for those wishing to beat the heat.

Just past State Street & Canon Perdido…

…And from the sidewalk.

I film as much as I can stand of the mounted horses as they pass, but after 3 groups shimmy and sidewind their reluctant way along, I have to stop. The animals are clearly anxious in the charged atmosphere, the unforgiving surface of asphalt hard under-hoof, and once again my animal advocacy smacks right into the brutish wall of what’s deemed acceptable treatment of animals by society.

I can feel the bubbles pop!

Look at how the horses strain at the bit!

It’s a good thing I’m not IN the bubble, like this little gal at the carnival at Mackenzie Park.

Best head uptown. The carnival held at Mackenzie Park is a likely recourse, and I’m happy for a change of scenery. And some breathing room. There are reasons numerous locals dub the event: The Fiasco , and I’ve just stepped into a big pile of ’em. Sure, the Vaqueros of yore rode horseback, but I don’t think it would take away from the day’s enjoyment to showcase a different aspect of their lifestyle. I say this part of fiesta–along with the rodeo–should stop.

No game for the horses

Mackenzie Park has upped the ante on kiddie rides. I take advantage of the relative quiet of the pre-weekend fairgrounds to snap this picture of what has to be the biggest bouncy house ever.

This is the entrance…

And this is the rest of it–but wait–there’s more!

TA-DA! A dueling Lion bouncy house! That’s a whole lotta hot air!

Moving on to film a few charmers gracing the stages here. You can enjoy a bit of their talents by viewing the video at the bottom, and since the aromas wafting from “Food Alley”remind me I’ve yet to eat lunch, I’ll go ahead and embed that visually-challenged stream of Fiesta right now. Time for you to click, and me to hit the homestead for a late afternoon meal. Followed by the only thing that can top a Fiesta–a Siesta.

A próxima vez!