The Downtown Club Hosts Inaugural Carnival During Fiesta 2025

There was confetti, there was excitement, and there were kids gathered In front of the historic Downtown Club located on East Cañon Perdido Street between Santa Barbara Junior and High Schools, along with Downtown Club officials and this year’s El Presidente Fritz Olenberger, David Bolton and executive director Mark Alvarado to celebrate the announcement of plans for a special four-day carnival celebration to be held in tandem with the 2025 Old Spanish Days Fiesta.

For the first time, a Fiesta carnival is coming to downtown Santa Barbara during Fiesta. The Downtown Club, established originally in 1938 as the first Boys Club in the area, announced it is presenting a Carnival for the Kids, Una Feria de los Niños during Fiesta week, Thursday to Sunday. The event will feature a variety of carnival rides including a Ferris wheel and zipper, plus booths and games that make up a traditional carnival.

“This is a great day for our community, kids throughout downtown and the east side neighborhoods will be able to walk to and enjoy a full carnival during Fiesta,” said Mark Alvarado, the executive director of The Downtown Club.” “We will have rides, games, carnival food and a fun experience for the kids and families. We are looking forward to being a part of Santa Barbara’s beloved Fiesta.”

The carnival is being put on by Christiansen Amusement from San Diego County, who have staged the Fiesta carnival at the Old Spanish Days Mercado del Norte and Mercado de La Playa. This premiere community-benefit event has been weeks in the works, with the support and cooperation of city agencies.

“When Santa Barbara’s Fiesta was first being planned more than 100 years ago, the organizers said that they hoped the entire town would have ‘a carnival spirit, a carnival atmosphere’ during Fiesta week,” said El Presidente 2025 Fritz Olenberger.

The Downtown Club Carnival for the Kids is not an official Old Spanish Days event, but like the mercado at Guadalupe Church and a bevy of other events throughout town, this special family-oriented carnival will complement the planned Old Spanish Days events.

“The hope is that kids and families will stop by the carnival before or after they watch the Friday parade, or before or after going to the downtown Mercado, Fiesta Pequeña or the Mariachi Festival,” said Downtown Club Board Chairman David Bolton who served as Fiesta El Presidente in 2023. “When we lost the carnival at the beach last year, so many people throughout town stopped me saying, ‘we’re sorry to see the carnival for the kids won’t be happening.’ Now, with great community Fiesta spirit and collaboration, and a central location, a Carnival for the Kids will again be part of our area’s beloved Fiesta week.”

The Downtown Club Carnival for the Kids will be held from 12-9 pm Thursday, July 31 to Sunday, August 3. The event is free to the public, with affordable tickets available for the carnival rides and games. Several former club kids who now run successful local businesses have stepped up in the spirit of community to help make this carnival a great fundraiser for The Downtown Club. Shalhoob Meat Co. will be providing licensing and supervision for the adult-only beer garden, and Mike Georges will be working with his catering team to provide a Downtown Club Torta.

Involvement in Fiesta is nothing new for The Downtown Club. Starting in the late 1990’s, there was dialogue between Old Spanish Days officials and The Downtown Club about participating in Fiesta. For many years, The Downtown Club manned a booth at Mercado De La Guerra during Fiesta week. In more recent years, a Fiesta Car Show was held at the historic Downtown Club site which drew hundreds of automobile aficionados and community supporters to the Club each Fiesta Sunday.

The Downtown Club provides services year-round for hundreds of kids ranging in age from 6 to 17. Daily, students from elementary schools and local junior and senior high school visit the club in the afternoon following their regular school hours. From athletics, to dance, to computer study to career training and counseling, the Downtown Club continues to play a vital role in offering a safe and positive environment for Santa Barbara’s youth.

The Club is located at 632 East Cañon Perdido Street between Santa Barbara High School and Junior High. For ticket information call 805-962-2385.