Solstice Announces Elephant Equinox Party & Playshops

The Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration is excited to announce its first event of the season: the Elephant Equinox Playshop & Theme Party, to be held on September 21-22 at Legacy Art Santa Barbara.

This event marks the beginning of year-round arts programming and community engagement, furthering Solstice’s mission to bring artistic experiences to  Santa Barbara.  September 22 also happens to be “Elephant Appreciation Day” in the US.

 Event Highlights

• Elephant Design Contest. Participants can design their own elephant using crayons, markers, or colored pencils. Contest Categories include young artist and professional artists.  That includes amateurs, tattoo artists, graphic designers, creatives who think painting an elephant sculpture the size of a real baby elephant might be fun!
• 2025 Solstice Parade Theme Submissions: Attendees can submit ideas for the 2025 Solstice Parade theme
• Live Ambient Music: Featuring Crispin Barrymore and others TBA
• Playshops
  • Young Artists (ages 5-17): Saturday and Sunday, 2 PM – 4 PM
  • Adult Artists: Saturday and Sunday, 4 PM – 6 PM
• Elephant Parade® Presentation: Learn more about this international public art project
• Light refreshments for young artists;  appetizers from local restaurants and no host
  wine bar for the adult workshops.

Ticket Information

• Young Artists Workshop: By donation
• Adult Artists:  Elephant Equinox Theme Party: $15 (sliding scale available)

Riccardo Morrison, Artistic Director, explains the event’s significance: “The Elephant Equinox is part of our plan to host events on each equinox. Our long-term goal is to bring the Elephant Parade® to Santa Barbara, hopefully in late spring 2025.”

The Elephant Parade® is an international initiative that combines public art with conservation awareness. Similar to the local “Pianos on State” public art project; instead it features life-size baby elephant statues designed by artists and celebrities, touring international cities to promote elephant conservation.

Penny Little, Solstice Executive Director, adds: “Imagine the Elephant Parade on State Street in the months leading up to Solstice. It will create excitement and fantastic photo opportunities for locals and visitors alike.”

This event follows the success of the 50th anniversary Solstice Parade, which saw record crowds on Santa Barbara Street under the theme “Flights of Fancy.”

For more information, visit www.solsticeparade or contact Penny at artstaff@solsticeparade.com.

About Santa Barbara Summer Solstice Celebration: Summer Solstice is a small non-profit dedicated to multi-cultural and performing arts whose mission is “Bringing the community together through the arts”. https://www.solsticeparade.com/

About Legacy Art: Legacy Art SB is an art gallery and listening room devoted to celebrating legacies, building community, and highlighting the soulful essence of art. https://www.legacyartsb.com/

About the Elephant Parade®: The Elephant Parade® is an international organization which works with organizations and businesses to produce public art as a means of bringing more tourism and to elevate conservation awareness.  This project is similar to the local public art Pianos on State, except it’s Elephants and it has international scope.  This project engages the talents of local  artists, and brings more attention local businesses, especially on the downtown business corridor.  These life-size, baby elephant statues, designed by artists and celebrities, tour international cities to elevate conservation awareness.  In addition many of our local celebrities own elephants – like Katie Perry, Oprah, Goldie Hawn.  https://elephantparade-usa.com/ Elephantparade.com