Santa Barbara’s historic buildings to honor medical workers with blue lights

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Santa Barbara’s most iconic building will honor medical and essential workers the rest of May with blue lights at night.

Starting Thursday at 8 p.m. buildings like Mission Santa Barbara, Lobero Theater, Arlington Theater and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center will shine blue lights.

The Light It Blue campaign started on March 26th in the United Kingdom to salute healthcare workers responding to COVID-19. Blue is the color their ambulances use in an emergency.

Owner of SPARK Creative Events, Lani Ballonoff, said, "Have not had a lot of events lately and wanted to do something with our local community. So in hearing about the Light It Blue campaign we wanted to try to bring that to Santa Barbara."

SPARK is one of two companies that partnered with the city to light iconic locations like the Arlington and Lobero theaters, the Mission and Stearns Wharf.

Santa Barbara senior assistant to city administrator, Nina Johnson, said, "This is a time for us to show solidarity with one another, and come together even when we're apart. And we're joining our neighbors in countries all over the world, celebrating in the ways that we can."

Locals Bob and Maryann Evans live near the Santa Barbara Mission. Bob said, "Yeah, it's a nice gesture I think." While Maryann added, "I think it's fantastic. We are healthcare workers too and we really appreciate all of the support and those are the frontline workers."

On Wednesday the lights were were put in place in Santa Barbara.

"So for Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara," said Ballonoff, "we'll be lighting the two towers on the sides, and then filling in blue light as you move in towards the front entrance."

The first lights turn on at 8 p-m May 14, and will be up for the remainder of May.