Viva La Presidenta

Denise Sanford

As La Presidenta, how did you choose this year’s theme, ¡Celebra Nuestras Tradiciones! (Celebrate Traditions!)? What does it mean to you personally, and why is it significant to Fiesta? I put a lot of thought into it. I felt it had to be something meaningful to me so I could talk about it from the heart. Traditions have been a big part of my life and continue to be. I’ve raised my two sons celebrating traditions. It also needed to be something Santa Barbara could relate to. We’ve been celebrating Fiesta for 94 years now and will continue for decades to come.

What event do you look most forward to every year? If I had to pick one, it would be Fiesta Pequeña. This is the opening night of Fiesta week when our community comes out to the Mission and Rose Garden lawns. The Spirit and Junior Spirit make their debut in their white dresses, something they have dreamt about and worked tirelessly for, and many dancers grace the stage. Fiesta Pequeña reaches everyone of every age.

Given the tragedies that have befallen our community, how will this year’s Fiesta reflect our resilience? Fiesta this year will be a symbol of our community’s strength. We can and will continue to celebrate its heritage. We will bring people together, sharing what we have with each other and, for a short period of time, allowing ourselves to forget our tragedies. We want to show our visitors that we are still here; Santa Barbara is strong, thriving, and rebuilding.