A Golden Celebration for a Golden Anniversary

A Golden Celebration for a
Golden Anniversary

Santa Barbara Summer Solstice
Shines Bright at 50

By Leslie Dinaberg | June 20, 2024

The creative and oh-so-fluid vibe of Santa Barbara’s magical Summer Solstice celebration is such that researching the history of the festival, in honor of its golden anniversary, no less, is a bit like catching lightning in a bottle. “Flights of Fancy” is a fitting theme for the 50th anniversary of Santa Barbara County’s largest arts event, which draws an estimated 100,000 people outside to celebrate a weekend-long tribute to the longest day of the year.

From its humble beginnings as a small birthday caravan of artists and mimes organized by Michael Gonzales, Solstice has now grown to a huge “people-powered” extravaganza of floats, dancers, musicians, gymnasts, and just about any kind of entertainment and non-motorized transport imaginable. The ephemeral physical elements of the parade are frequently made from recycled materials, which are then repurposed year after year, so tracking down artifacts was tricky, shared Dacia Harwood, executive director of the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Their current exhibition Here Comes the Sun: Celebrating 50 Years of Santa Barbara Summer Solstice (on view through June 27) chronicles the Solstice phenomenon with a fascinating collection of posters from each of the last 50 years, as well as hundreds of photographs spotlighting historic images of the artists working in preparation, the parade itself, and associated celebrations. While the colorful whimsy of Solstice has attracted the lens of many photographers over the years (including those of the Santa Barbara Independent), the well-regarded visual documentarian Nell Campbell — who began photographing the festivities in 1977 and hasn’t stopped since — contributed the largest collection of images to the museum exhibition. 

“Many parade creations were burned in bonfires in the early days as part of the celebration, making these items even more precious,” said Harwood. “We are lucky that they survived and now can be enjoyed by our community during this special anniversary.” In addition to the posters, the Museum’s walls are also adorned with two original paintings by Solstice Founder Gonzales, which are on loan from the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture and were used for the annual posters in 1981 and 1982. Gonzales died in 1989 at the too-young age of 38, but his legacy certainly has lived on and is well documented in Here Comes the Sun. Along with the works on canvas and paper, the exhibition also features a nine-foot-tall wearable “walking puppet” by artist Ann Chevrefils and several other puppet heads and masks on loan from the Solstice organization, as well as pieces from the Historical Museum’s collection of colorful handmade banners and masks.

Read on for a peek into the Independent’s history of Solstice coverage, a look at the incredible archive of posters on view at the Historical Museum, and some reflections from a Solstice newbie — writer Jamie Knee — who will make her parade debut this year as part of the La Boheme dance group.  

The 2024 Summer Solstice Parade is Saturday, June 22, beginning at noon at Ortega and Santa Barbara streets. The associated festival in Alameda Park is Friday through Sunday, June 21-23. For more information, see independent.com/events or visit solsticeparade.com.

Flights of Fanciful Fun

A Trip Through the Independent’s
Solstice Coverage over the Years

By Leslie Dinaberg

Digging in the Historical Museum’s exhibit inspired me to do some digging of my own: into the Santa Barbara Independent’s archives. While the paper is not quite as old as the Solstice celebration, I did unearth some treasures in the way-back files.

A Spotlight on Solstice Style

Fifty Years of Solstice Posters

by Leslie Dinaberg | photos by David Bazemore

The seasonal funhouse dreamscape of Santa Barbara’s Summer Solstice tradition is on full display in the Santa Barbara Historical Museum exhibition Here Comes the Sun: Celebrating 50 Years of Santa Barbara Summer Solstice. That includes every promotional poster for the past half-century, arranged chronologically. In addition to being a colorful time capsule of graphic design trends, the posters are a mix of works by well-known professional and talented amateur artists, all of which were chosen by an annual competition.

Dancing with La Boheme

My Journey from
Novice to Showgirl

By Jamie Knee | Photos by Ingrid Bostrom

Ever dreamed of dancing in a parade but felt like you had two left feet? That was me before I joined the La Boheme Dance Troupe for the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade. Trading in my wine writer hat for glitter, feathers, and spandex, I embarked on a journey that was as exhilarating as it was daunting. Under the expert guidance of Teresa Kuskey, I learned that dancing isn’t just about the moves — it’s about the joy, the community, and stepping out of your comfort zone.

From the very first rehearsal class on May 7, it was clear this was going to be an adventure. 

Nervously, we all introduced ourselves and started with stretches that would lead to future dance moves. Shoulder circles, hip thrusts, and lunges — oh my! Who knew my body could move this way? But the camaraderie was already palpable; we were all in this together.

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, we practiced the routines at what now seems like a leisurely pace. By week three, things dramatically sped up. Many of us were starting to get the moves, even if still a couple of steps behind. My body, however, was feeling the strain. After a tough night’s rehearsal to “Levitating” and “California Gurls,” my back was aching, my neck hurt, and an old shoulder injury from tennis had flared up. Who knew dancing could make me feel like this? Despite the physical challenges, I was having a blast. Twice-a-week rehearsals, plus extra days thrown in for those of us needing extra help, meant no gym classes were needed for the next couple of months. As we get closer to parade day, rehearsals are ramping up. We went from learning ballet, jazz, and modern to incorporating a bit of hip-hop and a whole lot of showgirl flair. 

It wasn’t just about dance; it was about putting on a show.

With 100 ladies and three brave guys coming together to be a part of the excitement, we learned to contort our bodies every which way. Aspiring dancers from all walks of life — yoga teachers, life coaches, nurses, homemakers, students, and everything in between, including me, a wine specialist — all coming together. 

Some, like Jenna Jobst-Reichental, a first-time parade dancer, found a renewed passion in dance: “I am thrilled to be involved in La Boheme productions for the Summer Solstice Parade,” she shared. “Having danced professionally with ballet companies throughout my career, I believed my days of dancing were over. Thanks to Teresa and the La Boheme team, my love for dance has been reignited within a supportive community of women.”

La Boheme’s mission is to be Santa Barbara’s number-one community dance group, and they have won multiple awards. They are a fun, supportive, non-competitive community of dancers with varying levels of experience, focused on performance and collaboration. Their goal is to support the community, spreading the joy of dance, creativity, and artistic expression to dancers and audiences alike — and to create a fun and intriguing vibe wherever and whenever they perform. Plus, they really love their cheeky costumes!

In the words of Kuskey, a former professional ballerina who founded the organization, “La Boheme was started at the request of several dancers excited to perform in the 2014 Santa Barbara Solstice Parade. I had always wanted to start my own dance group, and the Solstice Parade came at the perfect time. The first parade performance was a big success, leading to dancing at Fiesta and the French Festival. Our love of dance and community outreach continues to push us forward into new and exciting ventures!”

Throughout our rehearsals, we donned our spandex and dance shoes in anticipation of trading in our sweaty gear for a bit of glamour during the final week. As parade day approaches, we have transitioned to practicing in our costumes: feathers, glitter, rhinestones, and a bejeweled bra, with the pièce de résistance — a full feathered headdress. The outfit is not for the faint of heart, but after six weeks of rehearsals, we are all excited to shine. Hopefully, our confidence and smiles will be the first thing on display to the audience.

Videos of the weekly classes and regular photos taken during rehearsals capture the group’s enthusiasm and progress, making each step of the journey even more memorable. Plus, some of the ladies held costume party classes to get us all in the mood. Although our major costume pieces were provided, we were in charge of our base layers and extra bling — because you can never have too much bling as a showgirl! This gave us all a crash course in sewing and hot-gluing rhinestones and feathers, transforming our bras into dazzling works of art — a sentence I never thought I’d stitch together.

One of the most heartwarming aspects of this journey has been the friendships made and the community spirit. Women who had watched the La Boheme dancers flit and flutter about town for years were looking forward to sharing their own moves and being a part of the extravaganza. Some ladies mentioned that dancing with the troupe was a bucket-list goal. We all came in with varying degrees of dance experience, but what unites us is the joy of dancing together. 

“This will be my fourth Solstice dancing with La Boheme,” shared Pamela Sillix-Grotstein. “I started dancing at age 4 and continued dancing and performing through high school. Then, experiencing the indescribable tragedy of the loss of my son, La Boheme brought me back to the joy of dance in 2018. Dancing ‘saved me.’ There has been no greater joy than dancing than with La Boheme! I continue to be surprised by the elevated, professional level of choreography, costumery, and production that Teresa Kuskey and her devoted team create each year.”

If you missed dancing in Solstice this year, there’s always next year. Check it out, and maybe next year, you’ll be the one donning glitter and feathers, stepping out of your comfort zone, and having the time of your life. See labohemedance.com for more information. 

Watch Jamie and the La Boheme group celebrate the parade’s 50th anniversary and La Boheme’s 10th anniversary on Saturday, June 22, starting at noon on Santa Barbara and Ortega streets. And check back in at Independent.com for her report on how the parade goes.