Former Spirits and Junior Spirits enjoy riding on fiesta float

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-The largest parade during the 100th Old Spanish Days celebration had some special carriages and floats.

While dignitaries and Grand Marshals rode in carriages, former Spirits and Junior Spirits road in a fiesta float.

Some people enjoyed a birds eye view of the them from the rotunda of the Hilton Beachfront Resort.

Junior Spirit 1970 Cindy Ballenger and Spirit of Fiesta 1972 Jody Rich shared their experience as they walked by the resort after the parade.

"It has been so much fun seeing everybody and again and meeting all the new Spirits over the years being in the parade and reliving old times," said Ballenger.

"It was nice to see how many came, " said Rich

Rich said they do have reunion luncheons when they introduce new Spirit and Junior Spirits each year.

More than 40 of the took part in a Fiesta Pequena perfomance, too.

Members of our News Channel team also rode in a carriage right behind the riders carrying flags.