Menorah lighting shines bright on State Street in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-Members of Chabad of Santa Barbara arrived early to set up for the Jewish Festival of Lights.

The date is based on the lunar calendar.

Organizers hoisted a banner above a large menorah and a "Shine your Light" sign.

"This is the cities first graffiti menorah, the last 15 years we have had one with legos, one with cans today it is about light with glow-in-the-dark paint," said Rabbi Zalmy Kudan.

Artist Juan Martinez invited kids to help him make it glow.

This is the first community Chanukah Festival on State Street.

Rabbi Mendel Loschak said It used to be in a shopping center.

"My father Rabbi Loschak, he started this at La Cumbre Plaza, 43 years ago, this is the 43rd year and it grew and grew and now we are coming to a bigger better space."

Lamplighters Jewish Academy students had QR codes on their sleeves to promote good deeds.

"Chanukah is all about adding light so our school is trying to raise 1,000 mitzvots, a thousand good deeds to help spread the light, so go to projectflame.live and spread the light," said Chava Kudan.

She scrolled through the good deeds reported on her phone.

The Jewish Community of Santa Barbara is being recognized for a big one.

They contributed to a Medicycle that will be shipped to Israel to help its medical response agency save lives.

Mini-medicycles and other toys were given out to children who usually get small presents each night of the Chanukah.

A tiki-torch was used light the first candle.

"Tonight is the first night it starts off as a little light and it keeps on growing and to do it in a place like State Street it is kind of the center of our city and so many people walk by it and can be proud of it," said Loschak.

Each night  serves a reminder of the sacred oil that lasted eight days when the was only enough oil for one.