Edhat Staff
Scroll through the above photos by Fritz Olenberger
Las Noches de Ronda, “Nights of Gaiety” is held in the famous Sunken Gardens of the beautiful Santa Barbara County Courthouse. The evening performances feature spectacular dances and songs from the fire of flamenco to the charm of Mexican folklórico dances. Over 200 performers entertain nightly and donate their time to this wonderful event.
The event is free to the public and starts at 8:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
By Ronald Williams
Many talented performers entertained large enthusiastic audience chanting Viva la Fiesta!
If the City can ban plastic straws etc I think it is also time to ban cascarones. Traditional yes,
but does that alone make it okay to continue ?
Many “traditions”are now outdated if not out and out illegal.
I don’t understand the question, “What happened to the Spanish in Old Spanish Days.” There are many descendants of the early settlers, from before the U.S took over. Not always recognizable because many have Anglo names. For instance, Thomas Storke of the News Press was descended from Francisco Ortega who led the founding garrison to establish Santa Barbara. Ditto for Bill Luton who started KEY-T. In the 1980s a local historian, Russell Ruiz, told me a third of residents are descendents of the Presidio soldiers. He said many had 11-14 children and they in turn did too. didn’t take too many to populate the town. I have friends who are 9th and 10 generations here.