Take a deep dive into Santa Barbara’s water history! Join us on Thursday, October 23rd at 6:00pm for a talk by UCSB Geology Professor and Hydrologist, Dr. Hugo Loaiciga. 

Discover how flow reduction rendered Santa Barbara’s Gibraltar Reservoir and Mission Tunnel water systems obsolete, after reliably providing the city with water for most of the 20th century. Hear about the City’s recent water provision solutions, including Cachuma Lake, seawater desalination and wells. Consider future water challenges Santa Barbara will face and some possible pathways forward.  

Hugo Loaiciga, Ph.D, is an expert in Hydrology, especially in the subjects of groundwater hydrology, hydrogeology, water resources systems, and applied mathematics. Dr. Loaiciga applies numerical, statistical, and field methods to answer complex problems involving the interactions between surface water, groundwater, and human activities. A professor in the Department of Geography, Dr. Loaiciga also serves as Director of UCSB’s Hydrology Laboratory. He has published 433 archival papers and received several awards for his research and work. 

When: Thursday, October 23rd  - 6:00 – 7:00pm  
Where: Alhecama Theatre (215 a East Canon Perdido St.)  
$5 suggested donation; Free for SBTHP members 

Free event parking in Panino lot (834 Santa Barbara St.)  

Questions? Contact SBTHP’s Director of Programs, Kat Bertram: kat@sbthp.org / (805) 961-5374 

Sunday, October 12, 2025 from 11 to 3 p.m. 
El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park  • 123 E. Canon Perdido St. 

Join us to celebrate the cultures, stories, and enduring legacies of Santa Barbara’s Asian American communities! 

Held in the heart of the Presidio Neighborhood, this free, family-friendly event honors the vibrant multicultural heritage of the region with live performances, artisan vendors, cultural activities, and educational booths. 

What to Expect: 
 
– Traditional and contemporary performances 
– Cultural crafts and hands-on activities for all ages 
– Local Asian American artisan vendors and food trucks 
– Exhibits and guided walking tours sharing Asian American history in Santa Barbara 

Come enjoy a day filled with art, movement, food, music, and memory! 

This event is made possible thanks to the generous support of the George H. Griffiths and Olive J. Griffiths Charitable Foundation. 

Join us for 1st Thursday to see our latest exhibit at Casa de la Guerra titled, “Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps.” 

Using maps from historical archives and contemporary City and County documents, this exhibition tells the story of Santa Barbara’s development since the earthquake. These maps reveal dramatic changes in downtown Santa Barbara, for example, the creation of the harbor breakwater, and the construction of the 101 freeway. They also illustrate what has remained constant over the past 100 years: Santa Barbara’s identity as a special place set between the ocean and the mountains, blessed with a beautiful climate and a rich history.  Maps remind us that the natural environment, like the urban environment, has a history and document the changing natural as well urban environment of Santa Barbara. The 100th anniversary of the earthquake offers a unique opportunity for Santa Barbara to learn from our past, reflect upon our present, and plan for our future.  

The exhibit is curated by Dennis Doordan, with assistant curator Mary Louise Days and designer Isabella Botello.  The exhibit is sponsored by The Henry W. Bull Foundation, the Santa Barbara Conservancy, Citizens Planning Association, AIA-Santa Barbara and Fermina Murray Historical Consulting. 

Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps is part of a larger community-wide commemoration of the 1925 earthquake that shook Santa Barbara awake early on the morning of June 29, 1925. 

In addition to “Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps,” learn about Chumash arts and culture with Mia Lopez of The SPACE, and view a new exhibit, Once a Don, Always a Don: 150 Years of Santa Barbara High School.

1st Thursday is presented by Downtown Santa Barbara.

Join us for a delightful event steeped in Santa Barbara's rich heritage: the Harvest Brunch at the iconic Casa de la Guerra on Sunday, September 21st at 11am. Get ready to indulge in a delicious brunch buffet, sip on something delightful from our mimosa bar, explore the silent auction featuring unique local items, and enjoy the sounds of live music! 

More than just a beautiful day out, the Harvest Brunch is a vital opportunity to support the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (SBTHP). Your support directly contributes to our ongoing mission of stewarding the past and present of the Presidio Neighborhood and inspiring preservation advocacy throughout Santa Barbara County in order to create a more vibrant community. 

Event proceeds support SBTHP and help ensure that historic places, educational programs, and cultural events continue to thrive and knit together the community of this generation and the next.  

Stay tuned for more details! Click here for more information on sponsorship opportunities. 

SBTHP Members receive a special discount to this event. Not already a member?
Become one today!

Learn more about this event at sbthp.org/harvestbrunch!

Join this free poetry workshop and tasting event in the Presidio Neighborhood!

Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin and Gunpowder Press invite the community to find inspiration and create poetry about Santa Barbara County food, drinks, restaurants, and agriculture for a new collection to be published by Gunpowder Press. After a poetry workshop led by Yatchisin, participants will visit Rudy’s Mexican Restaurant for a tasty bite, Loubud Wines to sip a local sparkling wine, and The Space—Su’nan Protection, Art & Cultural Education for a Chumash sweet treat. We hope this immersive experience in the Presidio Neighborhood will inspire you to create your own poetry about our community’s food and drink, and submit your work to the forthcoming Santa Barbara County food and drink anthology.

Pre-registration required, capacity is limited.

The Pico Adobe is located at 920 Anacapa Street.  Free parking is available in the lot at 117 E. Canon Perdido street.  To access the Pico Adobe, walk through to the back of the parking lot. The Pico Adobe is on the right, just before you reach the back of the Carrillo Rec Center Gym.  Its courtyard is surrounded by an adobe wall.

Please wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a notebook and writing implement with you!

For more information, visit presidioneighborhoodsb.com/poetry-grows-here.