Poetry Grows Here: Presidio Neighborhood

The Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation is pleased to  announce a free poetry workshop and tasting event in the Presidio Neighborhood on Sunday,  August 31 from Noon-2:00pm.  

The event, conducted in partnership with Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin and  Gunpowder Press, is designed to inspire the community to create poetry about Santa Barbara  County food, drink, restaurants, and agriculture for a new collection to be published by  Gunpowder Press.  

After a poetry workshop led by Yatchisin at the Pico Adobe in El Presidio de Santa Bárbara  State Historic Park, participants will visit three Presidio Neighborhood locations, 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.  

This immersive experience in the Presidio Neighborhood is designed to bring awareness to  the forthcoming anthology about Santa Barbara’s food and drink and encourage poetry  submissions to be considered for the anthology. 

Pre-registration required, capacity is limited. Location, parking, and registration information  can be found on the event page. 

This event is coordinated by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation. Special thanks  to the City of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture.  

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

ABOUT THE PRESIDIO NEIGHBORHOOD 

The Presidio Neighborhood is a district in downtown Santa Barbara encompassing nine  square blocks in and around the historical site of the Santa Barbara Presidio, the last of  Spain’s four fortresses built in California in the eighteenth century. The district also includes  the historical locations of Santa Barbara’s Nihonmachi (Japantown) and Chinatown, as well as  the Mexican pueblo that evolved into the new City of Santa Barbara in 1850. Today, the  Presidio Neighborhood includes a diverse array of local businesses, community organizations,  civic institutions, parks, and schools. Its historical architecture is unmatched, and a density of  theatres, museums, tasting rooms, restaurants and more make the Presidio Neighborhood a  must-visit experience in Santa Barbara.  

ABOUT GEORGE YATCHISIN 

George Yatchisin is the Santa Barbara Poet Laureate, 2025-2027. His poetry has appeared  widely in journals and anthologies and is collected in his books Feast Days and The First  Night We Thought the World Would End. George also writes journalism, having covered  topics as diverse as dart leagues, reined cow horse cowboys, military museums, mime troupes,