2023 Fiesta poster set to be unveiled and join legendary images of Old Spanish Days
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Old Spanish Days 2023 Fiesta poster will be unveiled at KEYT Newschannel 3-12 live tonight.
Special coverage will appear on the news at 5 p.m. to look back at past Fiesta posters and the creative designs for each one.
El Presidente David Bolton said, the posters have "history, it has excitement and it includes so much that that everyone loves about our Fiesta."
The first poster appeared in 1924 to promote a play at the Lobero Theatre.
Bolton said, "a lot of people don't realize that the very first Fiesta in 1924 was not put on by Old Spanish days the company that we are today. It was put on by the Lobero Theatre and they had a committee called Old Spanish Days."
Posters were for the plays and also had Old Spanish Days dates to help publicize the events. The posters were put up in business windows and around town. There was no poster in 1925 and no Fiesta due to the damaging earthquake that year.
There was also a poster gap between 1931 and 1935. Seaside Oil produced the posters in the late 1930's. When World War II came about, there was no Fiesta and then after the war, no poster until 1952.
In 1953, the famous dancing couple appeared and would be on posters for 22 years. The color of the dresses changed, featuring red, yellow, light blue, purple and orange.
David Bolton said, "the red version I have the 1963 one it was also the 53 one the red one was there for 11 different Fiestas. and I think it is the most famous poster and it represented fiesta and the community for so many years"
In 1969, a special poster was made by the advertising council.
In 1976 a special bicentennial Fiesta poster was created and from 1978 to the present time the poster has been created by the current year's El Presidente.
"Each Presidente is different. Each year is different. So different elements are brought into the poster and different goals and objectives come out of the poster so for this year, I just wanted everyone to "Let's Fiesta" I wanted vibrant colors and something to look and remember."
There were years when the poster had a sponsor including Seaside gasoline which had stations up and down the state. That faded away but the poster carries with it a rich and deep meaning for those who have experienced the one-of-a-kind Fiesta in Santa Barbara.
Bolton said, "I think they love to be able to relate to the history looking back to when they were a kid what was the fiesta poster and also what they love about Fiesta, the dance and the vibrant nature that this town is. The colors though are there every year and I think that is something everybody really loves."
(There are two stories attached to the video links on this story.)
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