Locals say Pianos on State is “music to their ears”

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Pianos on State is back in downtown Santa Barbara for a limited time.

For the next couple weeks, 14 different pianos can be spotted on and near State Street from the Arlington Theater to Stearn’s Wharf.

Each piano is painted by different local artists.

The pianos are free to play and have been popular with tourists and locals alike.

"There's a certain magic to the project. A piano really has no business being out on the street. And so I think people walk up to them and they're like, 'What is this doing here?' People just immediately, they just can't help themselves from sitting down, playing a few keys, even if they don't actually know how to play the piano. And so I think the project just brings this spontaneous sense of community to Santa Barbara," said Casey Caldwell, the Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative Executive Director.

The community is encouraged to come out to the third annual pianos on state Masq(p)arade event, where they will get to see five street performances up State Street.

The free event takes place Friday Oct. 20.