Summer Solstice
Today is the climax of annual daylight, signifying both the official start of summer and the first major SB party, the Solstice Festival. What is this celebration all about, one might ask? The following is from a local website:
"Participants parade up State Street from Cota to Micheltorena through the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, transforming the business district into a vibrant splash of color and creativity. The brilliant illusions and imagery of fantastic faces emerge at noon, masquerading as creations in keeping with the current year’s theme, and are joined by people-powered floats, as they glitter, glide, whirl and rustle up the street filling hearts of all ages with gaiety and delight, inspiring the crowd to celebrate the beginning of Summer. Commercial elements, such as written words, advertisements, live animals, or motorized vehicles (except wheelchairs) are excluded from the Parade."
This year's Solstice theme is "Dreams," and all who participate in the free-thinking hippy revival that is Solstice are encouraged to dress to the theme. I anticipate seeing many moon faces, people costumed as stars, children in night-shirts--perhaps some night terrors (that would be me, dressed as myself)--and other brightly colored insanity.
The parade is truly where the fun begins, with locally sponsored floats carrying garage bands, neighborhood mommy-and-me groups, dogs dressed as clowns/clowns dressed as dogs, interpretive dancers and other paper mache madness. I don't recall last year's theme, but do remember a float decorated as a giant turd surrounded by human flies running amok in the street. I'm sure there was some deeper symbolism there, but I was using the parade as an excuse to drink margaritas on the patio, and not thinking metaphors. Speaking of Solstice as an excuse, there is much gender bending during the weekend. You could compare it to a cross between Pride, Mardi Gras and a kid-friendly block party. Quite a show.
I would have to say that the best part of Solstice is that the main gig is in the park by my house, with the beer garden on the corner closest to home. Although I have not done so, one could (and one has) crawl(ed) to my apartment. So I guess this is me saying that my readership may look forward to several inebriation-inspired postings this weekend. Stay tuned.
"Participants parade up State Street from Cota to Micheltorena through the heart of downtown Santa Barbara, transforming the business district into a vibrant splash of color and creativity. The brilliant illusions and imagery of fantastic faces emerge at noon, masquerading as creations in keeping with the current year’s theme, and are joined by people-powered floats, as they glitter, glide, whirl and rustle up the street filling hearts of all ages with gaiety and delight, inspiring the crowd to celebrate the beginning of Summer. Commercial elements, such as written words, advertisements, live animals, or motorized vehicles (except wheelchairs) are excluded from the Parade."
This year's Solstice theme is "Dreams," and all who participate in the free-thinking hippy revival that is Solstice are encouraged to dress to the theme. I anticipate seeing many moon faces, people costumed as stars, children in night-shirts--perhaps some night terrors (that would be me, dressed as myself)--and other brightly colored insanity.
The parade is truly where the fun begins, with locally sponsored floats carrying garage bands, neighborhood mommy-and-me groups, dogs dressed as clowns/clowns dressed as dogs, interpretive dancers and other paper mache madness. I don't recall last year's theme, but do remember a float decorated as a giant turd surrounded by human flies running amok in the street. I'm sure there was some deeper symbolism there, but I was using the parade as an excuse to drink margaritas on the patio, and not thinking metaphors. Speaking of Solstice as an excuse, there is much gender bending during the weekend. You could compare it to a cross between Pride, Mardi Gras and a kid-friendly block party. Quite a show.
I would have to say that the best part of Solstice is that the main gig is in the park by my house, with the beer garden on the corner closest to home. Although I have not done so, one could (and one has) crawl(ed) to my apartment. So I guess this is me saying that my readership may look forward to several inebriation-inspired postings this weekend. Stay tuned.
posted by Hootah at 9:46 PM
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