With the historic Lobero Theatre as a backdrop, 2025 Fiesta El Presidente Fritz Olenberger announced this year’s Old Spanish Days theme “Capture the Spirit”.
“As the Fiesta photographer for many years, my passion is in the dancing,” El Presidente Olenberger said in making the theme announcement. “Time and again, I’ve found myself getting goosebumps behind the lens, feeling a deep connection with the dancer. In Flamenco, there’s a word for this feeling: ‘duende.’ It means ‘Spirit. The feeling of awe and inspiration; the overwhelming sense of beauty and magic’ — that force that fuels the art of Flamenco. But it’s not just in Flamenco—it’s in every form of Fiesta dance, in the music, the pageantry, and in the community, Fiesta brings together every year”.
Flanked by Old Spanish Days officials, and the 2024 Spirit of Fiesta Georgey Taupin and the 2024 Junior Spirit Aleenah Soriano, El Presidente Olenberger also announced that this weekend’s 2025 Spirit Auditions at the Lobero are sold-out. The Auditions will be live streamed via the Old Spanish Days You Tube Channel.
With a goal of overseeing all aspects Santa Barbara’s beloved community Fiesta, this year’s Old Spanish Days Leadership Team includes a cross section of community volunteers. From administration to fundraising, from on-site logistics to community relations, the OSD Leadership Team helps to assure a safe and memorable Fiesta for the entire community.
2025 El Presidente Fritz Olenberger will be joined on the Leadership Team by Primer Vice Presidente Colin Hayward, Segundo Vice Presidente Tony Miller, la Secretaria and Division Chief of Pageantry Casie Killgore, la Tesorera Denise Sanford, and four additional Division Chiefs: Christopher Gusman (Celebrations), Melissa (Missy) Robledo Pulido (Dance and Entertainment, David Bolton (External Relations and History), and Sean Malis (Marketplaces/Mercados).
April 12 Spirit & Jr. Spirit of Fiesta Audition
May 17 La Primavera
June 7 Fiesta Fashion Sale (Formerly known as the Costume Sale) 9am at Carriage Museum
June 19 Fiesta Ranchera
July 27 La Recepción del Presidente
Wednesday, July 30
Mercado De La Guerra 11 a.m.
La Fiesta Pequeña, 8 p.m.
Thursday, July 31
La Misa del Presidente, 10 a.m.
Mercado De La Guerra, 11 a.m.
DIGS, 5 p.m.
Las Noches de Ronda, 8 p.m.
Friday, August 1
Mercado De La Guerra, 11 a.m.
El Desfile Histórico (Parade), noon
Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo, 7 p.m.
Flor y Canto, 7 p.m.
Las Noches de Ronda, 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 2
Arts & Crafts Show, 9 a.m.
Children’s Parade, 10 a.m.
Mercado De La Guerra, 11 a.m.
Tardes de Ronda, 1 p.m.
Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo, 7 p.m.
Las Noches de Ronda, 8 p.m.
Sunday, August 3
Arts & Crafts Show, 9 a.m.
Fiesta Stock Horse Show & Rodeo, 1 p.m.
A Message from the Board
As we emerge from almost three years of COVID restrictions, Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara, Inc. is committed to returning to Fiesta events as we knew them before the pandemic while putting the health and the safety of our community first. We continue to work with the City of Santa Barbara in areas such as parade route planning and venue locations. The schedule and nature of Fiesta events, as presented here, are to the best of our knowledge but are subject to change due to uncertainties that are beyond our control.
Please support Old Spanish Days by purchasing items from our online store or purchasing tickets to an official Fiesta fundraiser.
