Night scene at an outdoor event with a large crowd watching a presentation projected onto the side of a building labeled "Chinatown Remembered." Red paper lanterns hanging overhead illuminate the scene.

Upcoming Events

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Día de los Muertos Market & Craft Day
Nov
2

Día de los Muertos Market & Craft Day

Join us for a day of art, remembrance, and celebration!

Día de los Muertos Market & Craft Day, presented by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation in collaboration with Mujeres Makers Market.

Rooted in Indigenous and Latinx traditions, Día de los Muertos honors those who have passed with vibrant offerings, meaningful rituals, and joyful community gathering. Families are invited to take part in this free cultural celebration featuring:

What to Expect:

– Free arts & crafts and family-friendly activities in the Presidio Orchard (12–4 PM)
– 70+ local vendors through Mujeres Makers Market (10 AM–4 PM)
– Face painting, workshops, and dance performances
– DJ, Lotería, photo booth, and a Catrina Contest
– A community ofrenda (altar) to honor loved ones—bring a photo or memento to contribute

We invite you to add to our digital altar! Please submit your photos by October 29 to have your loved one featured.

Día de los Muertos Market & Craft Day, is presented by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation in collaboration with Mujeres Makers Market.

For more information, visit sbthp.org/diadelosmuertos.

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Una Noche de las Posadas
Dec
12

Una Noche de las Posadas

Join us for our Una Noche de Las Posadas (“The Inns”) event, which celebrates the cherished holiday tradition still observed throughout Latin America. In the evening, we'll embark on a procession from the Chapel at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park to Casa de la Guerra, singing holiday songs in Spanish. Las Posadas is a reenactment of Mary and Joseph's search for lodging, a beloved tradition of seeking shelter and welcoming all. 

Rudy’s Presidio Mexican Restaurant and Los Tarascos will be co-sponsoring this event by serving traditional Posadas food and the Mujeres Makers Market will be curating a special evening market full of vintage and handmade goods. 

Come together with family and friends on Friday, December 12th to share in the joy and unity that Las Posadas represents, as we celebrate the spirit of community. 

Mujeres Makers Market is open from 5PM-9PM at Casa de la Guerra at 15 East De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

The event begins 7:00pm at the Chapel at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara SHP at 123 East Canon Perdido Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

Stay tuned for more details!

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Farmer & The Flea Community Holiday Market
Dec
20

Farmer & The Flea Community Holiday Market

Celebrate the season at the Farmer & The Flea Community Holiday Market — a festive, open-air gathering that brings together the heart and soul of Santa Barbara since 2019.

Wander through 70+ local artisan vendors featuring handcrafted goods, art, home decor, vintage finds, and delicious seasonal treats. Enjoy live music throughout the day, soak in the community spirit, and don’t forget to stop by the Dog Adoption area to meet some of the adorable, adoptable pups from Farmer & The Flea’s own dog rescue.

Free and family-friendly, this market is a joyful blend of creativity, compassion, and community — the perfect way to celebrate the holidays Santa Barbara–style.

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Santa Barbara Water History and the Mission Tunnel – A Lecture by Hugo A. Loaiciga, Ph.D.
Oct
23

Santa Barbara Water History and the Mission Tunnel – A Lecture by Hugo A. Loaiciga, Ph.D.

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 

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16th Annual Asian American Neighborhood Festival
Oct
12

16th Annual Asian American Neighborhood Festival

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. 

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1st Thursday | Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps
Oct
2

1st Thursday | Santa Barbara 1925 – 2025: A Portrait in Maps

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.

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Harvest Brunch
Sep
21

Harvest Brunch

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!

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Poetry Grows Here: Presidio Neighborhood
Aug
31

Poetry Grows Here: Presidio Neighborhood

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.

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Learn to Wiki with us!
Aug
17

Learn to Wiki with us!

Have you ever used Wikipedia and wondered how the encyclopedia’s articles are created?  Do you have an interest in researching local history? Join librarians from the Santa Barbara Public Library and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation to learn how to critically use and contribute to the Wiki-verse! 

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Learn to Wiki with us!
Aug
3

Learn to Wiki with us!

Have you ever used Wikipedia and wondered how the encyclopedia’s articles are created?  Do you have an interest in researching local history? Join librarians from the Santa Barbara Public Library and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation to learn how to critically use and contribute to the Wiki-verse! 

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Learn to Wiki with us!
Jul
20

Learn to Wiki with us!

Have you ever used Wikipedia and wondered how the encyclopedia’s articles are created?  Do you have an interest in researching local history? Join librarians from the Santa Barbara Public Library and the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation to learn how to critically use and contribute to the Wiki-verse! 

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Presidio Archaeology Camp
Jul
7
to Jul 11

Presidio Archaeology Camp

Presidio Archaeology Camp returns this July!

Youth (ages 10-15) will have the opportunity to discover Santa Barbara by excavating El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park. Learn how archaeologists unearth clues that help us piece together the history of Santa Barbara.

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