Parades at The Granada Theatre Series to Continue with EL DESFILE HISTORICO, 8/2

As Santa Barbara prepares for the Fiesta festivities that surround Old Spanish Days, the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts (SBCPA) is pleased to once again host Parades at The Granada Theatre. The organization has invited all current donors to watch El Desfile Histórico, the historic Fiesta Parade, on Friday, August 2, in front of the theater's marquee on State Street, where they will have prime seating for parade viewing.

The Fiesta Parade is one of the largest equestrian parades in the United States and a much beloved annual event in Santa Barbara. Contributors to the SBCPA's Annual Fund, at any level, are invited to bring their families to enjoy special seating on State Street and visit inside the theater for refreshments during the Fiesta Parade. Parades at The Granada Theatre begin a new SBCPA tradition welcoming everyone to participate in sustaining and celebrating Santa Barbara arts and culture. These opportunities build a broader base of support within the community and engage supporters with the not-for-profit Granada Theatre in a family-friendly way.

This year, The Granada Theatre is pleased to sponsor a carriage in the parade featuring SBCPA founding board members,Susan Gulbransen (current Board President of KDB 93.7FM), and Joan Rutkowski (current Chairman of the Board of Opera Santa Barbara). Joan and Susan have been working together for several decades along with many other enlightened community leaders such as Sarah and Roger Chrisman, Sara Miller McCune, and Michael and Anne Towbes to build a thriving Santa Barbara arts and culture non-profit sector for the benefit of current and future generations. They joined together and set their sights on the restoration of The Granada Theatre in 1997 and through teamwork and sustained dedication the community's vision came to fruition in the spring of 2008 when the theater reopened and as our town's grand center for the performing arts.

Parades at The Granada Theatre are presented with the generous help of Kevin and Nancy O'Connor (Nancy is a current Board member of the SBCPA), and by The Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement as part of its goal to open The Granada Theatre to the entire community. The Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement was established by Morrie and Irma Jurkowitz, long-time Santa Barbara community members who previously owned The Granada Theatre and were instrumental in establishing the SBCPA, the non-profit entrusted with the care and operation of the historic theater.

For more information about Parades at The Granada Theatre and the Jurkowitz Center for Community Engagement, visit www.granadasb.org.

Built in 1924, The Granada Theatre has been an integral part of Santa Barbara's arts and entertainment landscape for almost 90 years. The Granada Theatre has played host to some of the 20th century's greatest entertainers, from Al Jolson, Charlie Chaplin, and Fred Astaire to Henry Fonda, Yo Yo Ma, Steve Martin and the Berlin Philharmonic, to name a few. Re-opened in 2008, under the auspices of the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, The Granada Theatre re-emerged as a state of the art home for many of Santa Barbara's greatest artistic treasures and a place whose existence makes it possible for the highest levels of artistic expression to take place in Santa Barbara. 2013 Winner of TripAdvisor's Certificate of Excellence, the theater is an historical icon that speaks to the central role live performing arts play in defining the communal life of Santa Barbara and the Central Coast region. Under the direction of Executive Director, Dr. Craig Springer, a skilled arts administrator with more than 30 years experience, The Granada Theatre annually hosts more than 100 performances and community events.