On Friday, December 4, at 6:30 p.m., the Downtown Santa Barbara Holiday Parade will start in front of the Arlington Theatre and head down State Street to Ortega Street. It's the first time the parade has run on State Street since 2019, the Santa Barbara Independent reported in October. It will also look different from the parades many longtime downtown neighbors remember. There will be no motorized floats or vehicles and no golf carts. Every entry will be walked, pushed or pedaled.
That format follows from the street State Street has become since the parade last ran.
Why the parade stayed away for six years
In 2021, COVID kept the parade off the street. That November, KEYT reported that Robin Elander, executive director of the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA), had explained the call this way: "our holiday parade is just really large, it's 100,000 people, and so this year just wasn't the right year to bring that back with COVID." Downtown filled the gap with smaller events instead: a tree lighting near the Arlington, holiday concerts and pop-up shows by regular parade performers like La Boheme.
By 2023 the reason had changed. The Montecito Journal wrote that December that "the pandemic-propelled State Street parklets are still preventing the return of the Santa Barbara Downtown Holiday Parade." The outdoor dining decks built during the pandemic had stayed, and a route that once held floats and inflatable characters was lined with them.
When the parade's return was announced this fall, KEYT reported that the parklets over several blocks had been among the logistical concerns. The parklets were never removed to make room for a parade. Instead, the parade was redesigned to fit the street.
The limits State Street now sets
A draft appendix to the City of Santa Barbara's State Street Master Plan, titled "STATE ST Walking Parade Parameters" and dated August 18, 2025, sets parade guidelines corridor by corridor for State Street, Santa Barbara Street, Milpas Street and Cabrillo Boulevard. State Street's section reads:
"Due to the current configuration of State Street—including constrained emergency access, narrow sidewalks, and the presence of permanent and semi-permanent infrastructure—parade activity is limited. Only walking parades are permitted."
The same draft lists music, marching bands and banners as allowed and says horses, vehicles and floats are not. It also warns that using State Street for a parade "may necessitate temporary removal or modification of infrastructure." According to the City's State Street project page, the City adopted the State Street Master Plan on September 21, 2026, and is now looking for funding to carry out its long-range vision.
DSBIA's own rules for this year's entries point in the same direction. The parade FAQ says motorized vehicles, floats and golf carts are "strictly prohibited" and that decorated wagons, push-carts and bicycles are welcome. Under the City's draft, State Street is a walking-parade route, and the 2026 lineup is built for that kind of street.
What a parade without floats looks like
According to the Independent, the 2026 lineup will include illuminated walking groups, decorated wagons, pushcarts and bicycles, along with marching bands, drumlines and performance groups. DSBIA's rules cap entries' sound systems at 50 decibels, so the bands and drumlines should carry most of the sound.
Here's who is behind the parade this year:
- Consumer Fire Products, Inc. is the presenting sponsor. The company has donated the State Street Christmas tree for 13 years, and this year's tree is set for the 1300 block. "We look forward to lighting up Santa Barbara's holiday season with the State Street Christmas Tree and presenting this beloved parade once again," owner and CEO Irene Rhodes told the Independent.
- Yardi Systems is one of the main supporters. KEYT described the company as "new to downtown."
- Visit Santa Barbara and American Riviera Bank are also listed as sponsors.
DSBIA has said it aims to raise about $150,000 in sponsorships and community partnerships to cover the cost of the parade. The tradition goes back to 1934. In this year's announcement, DSBIA says the parade has drawn more than 60,000 spectators along the mile-long route, while Elander's 2021 estimate was 100,000. Either way, it's a large crowd for a street that is now partly taken up by dining decks.
Planning your evening on December 4
The parade starts in front of the Arlington Theatre at 6:30 p.m. DSBIA's event calendar lists it as running until 8:30 p.m. The route ends at Ortega Street. The Christmas tree is in the 1300 block, near the start, so if you're hoping to see the tree and the opening of the parade, the upper end of the route covers both.
According to KEYT, Santa Barbara Police are working with DSBIA on security, road closures and other public safety details. DSBIA posts parade updates at downtownsb.org/holidayparade, so check there before you leave home.
For parking, the City's downtown parking program runs ten lots and five structures. The structures include the Chapala, Granada, Library, Lobero and Ortega garages. If you're bringing a parent who walks slowly or uses a mobility aid, it's worth knowing that the City's draft parade guidelines ask organizers to provide accessible parking near the route and designated seating areas, with ADA-compliant paths between the curb and permanent fixtures like planters. On a narrow sidewalk, being able to get to a seat matters more than having a front-row view.
A few practical steps help on any crowded evening downtown:
- Pick a meeting spot by block number, such as the 1300 block by the tree, in case your group gets separated.
- Arrive before the 6:30 p.m. start so you can find a place to stand or sit before the sidewalks fill up.
- Bring a light layer. The parade runs after dark in December.
The rest of the season follows the same idea
Downtown's waterfront parade has had a human-powered division for years. In 2023, the Montecito Journal described dozens of stand-up paddlers and kayakers in costume going around Stearns Wharf before the lighted boats set out. This year, the State Street parade is run entirely that way. Here's how the season lines up from publish day forward:
| Dates | Event | Where | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 13 – December 31 | Holiday program with simulated snowfall beneath the Paseo Christmas tree | Hotel Californian, at the Funk Zone edge | Program includes Djinn's Tinsel Bar and a holiday rooftop party |
| November 21, 2026 – January 31, 2027 | Seaside Sock Skating | MOXI | Specialty tile floor in place of ice, no skates needed, included with admission |
| Friday, December 4 | Downtown Santa Barbara Holiday Parade | State Street, Arlington Theatre to Ortega Street | 6:30 p.m. start, all human-powered |
| Sunday, December 13 | Parade of Lights, theme "Hawaiian Holiday" | Santa Barbara Harbor and Stearns Wharf | 2–7:30 p.m. Paddle parade at 2, boats at 5:30, fireworks around 7 |
The City's Parade of Lights page lists the 2026 Parade of Lights Committee as the organizer. Sponsors are the City Waterfront Department, the Santa Barbara Harbor Merchants Association, the Stearns Wharf Business Association and the Santa Barbara Yacht Club. MOXI's sock skating rink opens Saturday, November 21, and makes an easy afternoon with grandchildren before the parade.
The Parade of Lights opens with its paddlers at 2 p.m. before the lighted boats head out at 5:30. State Street's parade, back after six years, is walked from start to finish.
Holiday gatherings are often when families start talking about a parent's next home, whether that means staying put with a few changes or planning a move. If those conversations are coming up at your table this season, Terri Dimond's free seminars at All About Seniors offer a calm, no-pressure place to learn the options together. Attend a Free Senior Seminar and bring a family member along.
