Seasons Collide at 1st Thursday in September!

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Visit Downtown Santa Barbara for 1st Thursday, an evening filled with FREE art, culture, music and fun! The September 1st event will include more than 30 cultural art venues eager to show off exciting new exhibits, welcoming artist receptions, intriguing demonstrations and energetic live music.

Close out the beautiful Santa Barbara summer with this month’s 1st Thursday event that showcases artwork and entertainment that highlight breathtaking summer views coming to a close as the fall season is upon us. Start off your stroll down State Street at the Divine Inspiration Gallery of Fine Art where the End of Summer group show displays new en plein air works by Gerry Winant, Rob Robinson, John Klippensteiin, Camille Dellar and Tom De Walt. Make your way over to Keller Williams Reality to view the work of local plein air painter Chris Potter who emphasizes the vibrant beauty that this region has to offer. Pups love the Santa Barbara summer too! Ultimate Bagels will showcase four-legged friends that call Santa Barbara home, complete with dog treats and water bowls.

Enjoy the conclusion of a beach summer at PrAna at Santa Barbara Outfitters as featured artist Robert Heeley displays images of famous surf spots and spectacular seascapes. Don’t miss the grand opening of the Carrillo Recreation Center, a downtown gem, where members of the beachfront Arts and Crafts show will bring a piece of the beach downtown to add summer fun to the celebration. Venture over to Blue Lotus and experience one of today’s hottest trends: handmade feather hair accessories and extensions. Have fun adding a bit of color into your personal style and enjoy live music in the courtyard. Cross the street to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum to view Treasures: Recent Acquisitions to the Permanent Collections highlighting recent gifts collected through local support. Finally, head to Santa Barbara Forge and Iron to meet local metalworking artists Dan and Andy Patterson who will present their custom-made home furnishings, sculptures and videos.

While 1st Thursday offers extraordinary exhibits and paintings indoors, be sure to check out the performance art and live music outdoors. Show some back-to-school support for the student’s of Santa Barbara High School’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA) as they share their talents on the corner of Anapamu and State Streets. Stop by the Paseo Nuevo Center Court to enjoy the sounds of local band Blue Suns that is fused with indie/rock/pop influences wrapped in the California sun. Before you pack up and end your night make sure to visit fiber artist Laurie Hill Gibb at Journey 65 where she has quilted her 1995 VW camper to express what it is like to be a female solo traveler. The Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative will lead a curated Art Crawl that will begin in De la Guerra Plaza (735 Anacapa Street) at 5:30pm.

All of these attractions and many more are FREE during 1st Thursday on September 1st. With more than 30 stops on this month’s 1st Thursday map, there is sure to be something for everyone.