Santa Barbara history pays its annual visit to the present for the 84th celebration of Old Spanish Days. In this special issue, you’ll find a complete schedule of events to the weekend’s festivities-from mercados to parades to dance performances-as well as a bit about some of Fiesta’s major players: the Junior and Senior spirits, Ashley Almada and Jessica Marquez, respectively; El Presidente Tim Taylor; and honorary vaqueros, Si and Karen Jenkins. Read about Santa Barbara’s mini gold rush, tequila tastings, and a 2004 interview with Father Virgil Cordano on the meaning of Fiesta. It’s all here. Viva!
• Rebecca Dominguez Is Saint Barbara for Fiesta
• Santa Barbarans Strike It Rich