Bright Sundays full of sunshine and ocean breezes are the best days for a coastal walk and a bit of local shopping for arts and crafts in Santa Barbara. The Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show is a weekly event that welcomes locals and visitors to walk along the waterfront and peruse artwork created by Santa Barbara County artists.
Beachfront art walk near Stearn’s Wharf
Every Sunday about 200 Santa Barbara artists participate in this beautiful beachside art fair, which has been running for more than 50 years. The show is a lot like an art walk that goes on for about a mile down Cabrillo Blvd., featuring an eclectic mix of arts and crafts with beach town flair. See booth after booth of paintings, pottery, sculpture, crafts, photography, jewelry, unique inventions and more. The show crosses in front of Stearn’s Wharf and goes all the way up to Calle Cesar Chavez.
Santa Barbara art, souvenirs, history
Visitors to Santa Barbara will find the arts and crafts fair and excellent opportunity to pick up souvenirs unique to the Central Coast. Despite the one-of-a-kind quality you will find, prices are often quite reasonable and sometimes negotiable.
It’s also a chance to learn something new, as Santa Barbara artists display their original work in an informal setting and often welcome conversation about their artwork and the process. You might even catch a few artists in the process as they create, inspired by the beautiful weather and natural surroundings.
The Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show was established in 1965 by local artists. Given the rich Spanish history of the area, it’s not a surprise the art walk was inspired by the “Jardín del Arte” in Mexico City. It also drew inspiration from the art shows in Europe at the time.
Sunday ‘funday’ on the American Riviera
The arts and crafts show is an all day, weekly event that occurs every Sunday (weather permitting) from 10 a.m. until dusk. Given its superb location on the waterfront, visitors can easily then walk onto the pier for additional sight-seeing, ice cream, to enjoy a seafood lunch or to have drinks. Take an easy ride over to the Santa Barbara Harbor via the famous Lil’ Toot water taxi, which travels between Stearn’s Wharf and the Harbor every 15 minutes.
There are so many activities to enjoy on a Sunday in Santa Barbara and a stroll through the Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show is the perfect way to start the day. Check out our list of Santa Barbara Attraction & Activities for more ideas of fun things to do during the week in Santa Barbara, Carpinteria and Goleta.
Where to stay when visiting the arts and crafts show in Santa Barbara
Fortunately, we have numerous vacation rental homes near Cabrillo Blvd. and walking distance to Stearn’s Wharf and the SB Arts and Crafts Show. Choose from homes near West Beach or East Beach or choose a vacation rental home in what we like to call the “center of a wagon wheel,” near the beach, Harbor, restaurants, bars, train station, State Street and the Funk Zone.
If you need help, contact us to find a coastal rental property where you don’t need a car during your vacation stay in Santa Barbara and everything will be just a short walk or bike ride away. With all the amenities you need and plenty of shops, restaurants and activities – like the SB Arts and Crafts show – you’ll want for nothing. Check out our coastal properties to find a vacation rental home in Santa Barbara.
