Guadalupe preps for 75th anniversary celebration
Community members are invited to join the Open Streets celebration in honor of the City of Guadalupe’s 75th anniversary of incorporation on Aug. 8. The celebration will shut down a one mile portion of Guadalupe Street.
The City of Guadalupe will celebrate its 75th anniversary of incorporation with an Open Streets festival Aug. 8.
The city officially became incorporated as an independent municipality in Santa Barbara County in 1946. Now, seventy-five years later, officials are celebrating the city’s rich history by inviting community members to flock to Guadalupe Street for a celebration featuring food vendors, activities and music.
The Open Streets festival will close off a one mile portion of Guadalupe Street from Highway 166 to 11th Street from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Along the one mile stretch, more than 40 vendors, food trucks, bounce houses and outdoor activities will be open for community members to enjoy.
This year’s celebration will be similar to the Open Streets festivals held in previous years in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Carpinteria. Guadalupe City Councilmember Liliana Cardenas said this year’s event will give residents the chance to not only learn about the city’s history, but come back together as a community after a long pandemic year.
“This is a time to celebrate and come together as a community after such a hard time we had (last year),” Ms. Cardenas told the News-Press.
In addition to vendors and activities, Ms. Cardenas said the event will also feature a vaccination clinic on site and an Infinity Healing Ceremony to honor those who died in the county during the COVID-19 pandemic. For those who receive a vaccine at the festival, Ms. Cardenas said the City will provide information on when and where to get a second appointment to finish the vaccine series.
With the delta variant causing increased case rates across the county, Ms. Cardenas said the City has put multiple measures in place to keep the community safe. These measures include keeping the entire event outdoors and making sure each vendor is spaced out along the one mile stretch.
After a long period of lockdown, having events again feels like a “light at the end of the tunnel” for the community, Ms. Cardenas said.
“I’m just thinking (this event) is a time for our residents to just enjoy themselves and visitors can come out and learn about our city’s rich history and culture,” Ms. Cardenas said. “It will be a wonderful time to be around one another and get vital information from community-based organizations.”
email: mhirneisen@newspress.com
