CityofSantaBarbara
The recently restored City Landmark, initially built in 1919, will return to use as a venue for music, art, and cultural events in one of Santa Barbara’s oldest parks.
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department will host a ribbon-cutting event at Plaza del Mar (131 Castillo St.) on Wednesday, August 21, at 4:00 p.m. to celebrate the completed renovation of the park’s historic Band Shell. The celebration will include remarks from City leaders and an inaugural performance by the Prime Time Band, a local group of musicians who have provided free entertainment for the community since 1995.
The Plaza del Mar Band Shell, a designated City Landmark, was built in 1919 to serve as a venue for public concerts. After a century of use, a repair needs assessment was conducted in October 2020 in response to surging interest in outdoor event venues. Construction for the full-scale renovation began in August 2023. The project included extensive structural repairs to the building frame, replacement of the roof and wood stage, restoration of the original stage lighting, and construction of an accessible pathway and ramp leading to the stage. The project also included the installation of full electrical service to better accommodate a more diverse range of programming.
“Renovation of the Band Shell preserved a piece of Santa Barbara’s history while restoring Plaza del Mar as a community space for art, music, and cultural events, just as it was a century ago,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary.
The project was funded through a combination of federal, state, city, and private sources, including $800,000 from the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA), $275,000 in City funds (General Fund and Measure C), a $177,000 grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and $55,500 from local philanthropic foundations through the PARC Foundation.
With the renovation complete, the Parks and Recreation Department aims to revive the venue’s long-standing tradition of hosting concerts, performances, and cultural gatherings in one of Santa Barbara’s oldest parks. Local artists, community groups, and organizations interested in hosting free community performances at the Plaza del Mar Band Shell are encouraged to contact the Parks and Recreation Department to coordinate.
More information about the renovation can be found at SantaBarbaraCA.gov/BandShell.
Construction of this bandshell (also called the music shell) began in April 1919. Prominent Santa Barbara architect Winsor Soule, who had been partly responsible for designing the El Encanto Hotel, contributed the design. The estimated cost was $1,500 to $2,000. A 22-person band was being organized, and seating was planned for 2,000 people. Everyone was looking forward to the first concert in May.
this is great! i live a few blocks from the park and we have been waiting for the fence to come down and hoping the city actually uses it! Let’s have some concerts, plays, poetry, etc. Our neighborhood is very happy! Hopefully SBPD will provide some assistance to keep tagging off of it. The park is mostly empty each day (we are there every day with our dogs), aside of the tennis courts being used, it is mostly just myself, my kid and dog and an occasional afternoon napper under a tree.
I’ll guess, when the fence comes down an attempt will be made by homeless to use this area; and they will succeed. Tagging of this building can only be prevented if the police “sit” on the building but this is something they can’t do. What will minimize the tagging of this building is that it is off the “beaten path.”