Plaza del Mar Band Shell renovations completed, open to community events in late August

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The City of Santa Barbara announced Monday that renovations of the Plaza del Mar off Castillo Street are now complete and the venue is ready to safely host outdoor events.

While the official ribbon-cutting event to reintroduce the Band Shell are not until Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 4 p.m., the renovation project is completed shared the City of Santa Barbara in a press release Monday.

"Renovation of the Band Shell preserved a piece of Santa Barbara’s history while restoring Plaza del Mar as a community space for art, music, and cultural events, just as it was a century ago," beamed Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary.

The Plaza del Mar Band Shell was first built in 1919 and, after a century of use, was found to be in need of necessary repairs after an assessment in October of 2020.

The public venue is a designated City Landmark.

Its latest, full-scale renovation work began in August of 2023 and included extensive structural repairs to the building's frame, replacement of the roof and wood stage, restoration of the original stage lighting, and the addition of an accessible pathway and ramp leading to the stage detailed the City of Santa Barbara.

Additionally, a full electrical service installation was also included to open up the venerable venue to a broader range of events explained the City of Santa Barbara.

According to the City of Santa Barbara, the restoration was funded by a variety of sources including: $800,000 from the American Recovery Plan Act; $275,000 in City funds (the City's General Fund and Measure C funds); a $177,000 grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation; and $55,500 from local philanthropic foundation via the PARC Foundation.

Anyone interested in hosting their event at the Plaza del Mar Band Shell are encouraged to contact the Parks and Recreation Department here.