As Santa Barbara’s Fiesta celebration gets bigger each year, the party itself seems to be expanding further outside the sphere of “official” events organized by the Old Spanish Days organization, with impromptu concerts, group bike rides, pop-up stands, and non-sponsored gatherings becoming increasingly popular among partygoers in early August.
Some of these events popped up organically over the years, such as the annual Fiesta Cruiser Ride, a group ride started by a group of bikers in 1979 as a way to get together and enjoy the summer sun on a day when the whole city was outside celebrating. Since then, the annual ride has attracted large groups each year, retracing the same route of that first ride from Stearns Wharf to the liquor store on Modoc Street then down to Goleta Beach to party until the sun goes down. (This year’s ride will begin with a meetup at the Dolphin Statue at noon on Sunday, August 9.)
Some unofficial events are remnants of traditions that have evolved over the years. The Santa Barbara Rodeo at Earl Warren Showgrounds, which is unaffiliated with the Old Spanish Days brand, popped up after the official organization moved its family Stock Horse and Rodeo Show up to Santa Ynez following a disagreement over the future of rodeo events…