Fiesta kicks off in Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara News-Press

Good morning, Santa Barbara ☀️

Here’s what we have for you today:

We’ve got all your Fiesta needs right here at newspress.com
Julianna Lozada talks to vendors and visitors at Mercado de la Guerra
Check out our Fiesta Daily Update for a rolling account of Fiesta happenings
Visit our social pages for the latest activities from our staff
Shoutout to reader Edith for correctly responding first that the State Street Axe Club was opening a rage room. Keep reading our weekly news quizzes, and thank you all for your support!

Joshua Molina

News-Press Editor

Favorite holiday/cultural traditions

In the spirit of celebrating Fiesta this week, I asked our staff to share their favorite holiday/cultural tradition growing up. These are some of their answers, as they wrote them.

Julianna Lozada: “My favorite holiday is Christmas because it’s close to my birthday — so double the festivities.”

Kaitlin Sweeney: “My favorite holiday is Christmas because it combines so many of my favorite things: cozy weather, twinkling lights, family and music. I also associate Christmastime with the start of snowboarding season, one of my favorite things to do. Some of my best childhood memories were made around Christmas.”

Amanda Velasco: My favorite holiday is Halloween because I love horror movies and dressing up with my friends.

Angel Corzo: “While potentially controversial, my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Since leaving the house, it has always been one of the few days I get to spend quality time with family. I also appreciate the element of gratitude associated with the holiday as well. And oddly enough, I choose to watch the Walt Disney animated version of “Robin Hood” on this day, which always hits the spot for me during the fall.”

Aston Smith: “My favorite holiday is Christmas because … it becomes socially acceptable to listen to Christmas music all the time, specifically Michael Bublé’s “Cold December Night.” And who could ever get tired of Mariah Carey’s Christmas classic?”

Vivianna Ruiz: “My fav holiday is Christmas. My uncle’s birthday is Christmas Eve so we have fun family traditions the night before that continue onto the next morning. Whenever it’s Christmas you just know it is in the air, the movies on TV, the seasonal smells, and foods. It’s just the best.”

Joshua Molina: “This is more of an adult tradition, but nothing beats decorating the Christmas tree with my daughter, with “Sounds of the Seasons” from my DirectTV feed in the background, along with the fun facts about the history of Christmas that pop up on screen. This is an amazing experience, notwithstanding the effort it takes to unravel the Christmas lights that are somehow super-tangled from the year prior.”

What we’re reading

🏡 Someone spent an entire day at Universal Studios with the measles, raising concerns that some parkgoers could have been exposed. (L.A. Times)
California Democrats support the billionaire tax. (San Francisco Standard)
Reddit to change moderation tools for its 130 million daily users. (Tech Crunch)

What to do this weekend

It’s Fiesta weekend. So many options.

Las Noches de Ronda: Flamenco and Mexican folklórico dances, 8 tonight, Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden
El Desfile Histórico: Fiesta parade, 99 W. Cabrillo Blvd., noon-2 p.m. Friday
El Desfile De Los Niños: Children’s parade. Kids of all ages and their families. 721 E. Cabrillo Blvd., 10 a.m. Saturday

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