Press
MEDIA CONTACT:
Nathan Quinney
Teri Ball
805-963-8198
frenchfestival@sbcoxmail.com
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2017 Santa Barbara French Festival
July 15 & 16, 2017
Bienvenue from The Santa Barbara French Festival to You! Celebrate Bastille Day at the 29th Annual French Festival, July 15th & 16th at Oak Park in Santa Barbara.
Join us for one of Santa Barbara’s favorite festivals and celebrate the resilient, rich and entertaining French culture. Get ready to enjoy great food, wine, mimosas, crepes, delicious pastries, music, dance and, of course, the infamous Canine Cavalcade. Fun & Free for the entire family!
The Santa Barbara French Festival is a community event that draws people from corners near and far. It’s a Dance Festival, a Music Festival, an Arts & Crafts Festival and, of course, a Food Festival. This community fun supports Center Stage Theater and Speaking of Stories, two wonderful non-profit organizations fostering the arts in Santa Barbara.
For two days Santa Barbara celebrates its nickname “the American Riviera,” as the French Festivities transform Oak Park. Our little French village comes to life at 11:00 am when the entertainment kicks off on three different stages and continues non-stop until 7:00 pm both days. The stages will be filled with dance and music from more than 30 different acts including performances, audience participation and instruction. The favorites return every year: Tango, Django Reinhardt tributes, and of course, the Femme Fatales Drag Revue! Watch the Can-Can and French Polynesian dancers, West African Belly dancing, and every minute of entertainment is free! You’ll be amazed at the scope of music that Accordions can fill as we dedicate an entire third stage to The Accordion International Music Society of Santa Barbara accordion performances. We encourage you to join the fun and BE THE FUN! The entertainment doesn’t stop at the stage. Sit and enjoy the cuisine, wine, beer and other beverages, then have a massage to gear up for playing a game of Pétanque, watching some live Jousting, or joining the French Conversation Booth, while the youngsters have their faces painted or pet our canine cavalcade Grand Marshalette & therapy dog, Jellie Beanz.
With mimosas in hand, fans return every year to peruse over 60 booths that offer everything from delicious French food and wine, phenomenal art and photography, to French conversation, Pétanque, face painting, French tablecloths, Fairy wings, and everyone’s favorites: The official French Festival booth that sells T-shirts and Berets!
When we say fun for the “entire family”, we mean the ENTIRE FAMILY. Frost your visual Flaugnarde and join the fun of dogs and their faithful humans parade through the festival and culminate on the Eiffel stage. Leash up your dog-&-people-friendly canine family members and be part of the festivities. The Canine Cavalcade goes rogue on Saturday and Sunday at 6:00 when it finishes the festival with a costume contest & prizes!
We feel your pain at the thought of Sunday evening being the end -- so we have our “Adventure CPR,” Santa Barbara Travel Bureau booth, to save you! Stop by and they will help you plan a great French excursion to continue the fun.
Center Stage Theatre and Speaking of Stories are pleased to present this great community event, that helps fund these two important groups year-round. Sponsors for the event include Santa Barbara Travel, Kronenbourg 1664, Perrier, The Santa Barbara Independent, Paseo Nuevo Shops & Restaurants, Diabolo, HiddenProvence.com, Tent Merchants, DSR Audio, EdHat and more.
For complete details on the performers, food, crafts, shopping and activities visit FrenchFestival.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
