statestreeter

THE STATE STREET PROMENADE BEGAN ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2020

FIVE YEARS AGO, exactly, the State Street Promenade was born. It happened, seemingly overnight, in the early dark days of the pandemic. After weeks of staying home, people spilled out onto State Street that Memorial Day weekend, happy for human contact again, yet safely distanced in the sunshine and fresh air. We were alone, but together.

There are far more people on State Street now than there were in the years immediately preceding the pandemic. Moving the farmers market to the street has been a major boost, along with an expanded First Thursday art walk, a new film center and community-building special events sponsored by downtown civic and volunteer leaders. Yet the dream is still far from being fully realized. Getting locals back downtown, after decades of turning elsewhere, remains a key challenge.

Here’s hoping Santa Barbara’s beautiful and historic main street continues to move toward the future, not lurch backward — and that there will be much more to celebrate over the next five years.