Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Parade
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Originating as a birthday celebration, Santa Barbara, California's Summer Solstice Parade began in 1974. This parade was created by Michael Gonzalez, a Santa Barbara resident and a mime and artist.{{cite web |url=http://www.solsticeparade.com/history.htm |title=Solstice Parade Website |publisher=Solsticeparade.com |accessdate=23 June 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514052829/http://solsticeparade.com/history.htm |archivedate=May 14, 2009 }} The parade is the largest single-day event in Santa Barbara County,{{cite web|url=http://www.santabarbara.com/events/solstice_parade/ |title=Santa Barbara Website |publisher=Santabarbara.com |accessdate=23 June 2014}} attracting crowds of 100,000 people or more.{{Unreliable source?|date=April 2017}} Weeks prior to the day of the parade, a workshop is opened where participating artists and technicians work with the community to conceive ideas, build floats, make costumes, and put their performances together.
History
In 1974, artist and mime, Michael Gonzalez gathered some of his street performer friends to dance down State Street in Santa Barbara, California, in celebration of his birthday.{{Cite web |last=Palminteri |first=John |date=2024-06-21 |title=50th anniversary of the Santa Barbara Summer Solstice event comes with sunshine and thousands of spectators |url=https://keyt.com/news/santa-barbara-s-county/2024/06/21/50th-anniversary-of-the-santa-barbara-summer-solstice-event-comes-with-sunshine-and-thousands-of-spectators/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=News Channel 3-12 |language=en-US}} Each year the parade grew until this annual event encompassed street fairs, concerts, theatre performances, floats, costumes, and dancing ensembles.{{cite web|url=http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1275903 |title=Everything.com |publisher=Everything2.com |date=March 28, 2002 |accessdate=23 June 2014}}
The parade went on hiatus in 2020 and restarted in 2022.
See also
References
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Category:Tourist attractions in Santa Barbara, California
Category:Festivals in California
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