Santa Barbara 4th of July festivities are held at the waterfront and Stearns Wharf from 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m., including food vendors, arts and crafts, local musicians, and more. The fireworks show is held at West Beach at 9 p.m., is approximately 20-minutes long, and is choreographed to patriotic music. A 4th of July parade is held on State Street. The parade begins at 1 p.m. at Micheltorena and State streets and continues down State to Cota Street. A 4th of July concert is held at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden at 5 p.m. The City of Santa Barbara closes the Stearns Wharf parking lots from 3-9:30 p.m. Waterfront shuttles and local buses will run as normal until 3 p.m., when they will start following an altered schedule available at sbmtd.gov.
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College at 721 Cliff Drive, overlooking the Santa Barbara waterfront, hosts an annual fireworks viewing at the Great Meadow on its West Campus and a viewing at the Maxwell Overlook at East Campus. This family-friendly option for Independence Day, with live entertainment, is held on the 4th of July starting at 6 p.m.
Goleta
The Rotary Clubs in nearby Goleta, just north of Santa Barbara, host an annual 4th of July fireworks festival starting at 5 p.m. at Girsh Park, 7050 Phelps Road next to Camino Real Marketplace. Adults tickets are $10 per person with children 12 and under free. The Independence Day festival offers a variety of activities for all ages, including bouncies, face painting, and more. A band perform live music until the fireworks show, which begins at 9 p.m. The Goleta 4th of July fireworks festival is a family-friendly event and no alcohol or pets are permitted.
Montecito
Just south of Santa Barbara is Montecito's annual Village 4th of July Parade which starts at 11:30 a.m. at Upper Manning Park, 449 San Ysidro Road, and ends at Lower Manning Park, where an Independence Day celebration is held that includes food and live music.
