Local bands prepare to perform at newly renovated band shell in Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The recently restored Plaza del Mar Band Shell in Santa Barbara has local bands already preparing for upcoming concerts.

The restoration of the historic band shell was years in the making. 

"It’s kind of a shame this old well-built edifice was not being used at all for anything that is really allowed to deteriorate," said member John Calder of the Prime Time Band.

City officials began looking into the renovation of the historic bandshell in the fall of 2020 due to a surging interest in outdoor events.

"And the lighting has been restored to really make up performances visible at night and there’s a ramp to increase access to the space," said executive director Sarah York Rubin of the Office of Arts and Culture.

Members of the Prime Time Band, who have provided free entertainment for the community since 1995, have long awaited the opportunity to perform at the band shell.

"I’ve lived here since 1975 and I have driven past it so many times and it just seems so sad ... it wasn’t being used and it was such a part of the history of the waterfront ... and in researching a photograph that somebody had mentioned in 1997 ... the Prime Time Band actually played here in 1997," said member Lynel Lemon of the Prime Time Band.

The Prime Time Band will be "coming back” to perform at the band shell when it opens on August 21st.

"I feel so honored to get to be a part of this. It’s kind of like part of our tradition, community and kind of looking forward to what’s gonna be coming community wise," said member Barb Statler of the Prime Time Band.

The band hopes this venue will encourage more local groups to share their talent.

“This gives us another venue so we could potentially come out and entertain on a regular basis for people who like to see," said Calder.

“It’s been a love project. I am so excited to see the community respond to this, and this to be kind of a gathering place for music in the shell again," said Rubin.

The city hopes to revive the venue's long-standing tradition of hosting concerts, performances, and cultural gatherings in one of Santa Barbara’s oldest parks. 

The City Landmark, built in 1919, will reopen as a venue for music, art, and cultural events.

The project included extensive structural repairs to the building frame, replacement of the roof and wood stage, restoration of the original stage lighting, and construction of an accessible pathway and ramp leading to the stage.

“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,” said Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary.” 

The project was funded through a combination of federal, state, city, and private sources, including $800,000 from the American Recovery Plan Act, $275,000 in City funds, a $177,000 grant from the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and $55,500 from local philanthropic foundations through the PARC Foundation.

With the renovation complete, the city hopes to revive the venue's long-standing tradition of hosting concerts, performances, and cultural gatherings in one of Santa Barbara’s oldest parks.

Local artists, community groups, and organizations interested in hosting free community performances at the Plaza del Mar Band Shell are encouraged to contact the Parks and Recreation Department to coordinate. 

For more information about the renovation, visit: SantaBarbaraCA.gov/BandShell.