Good morning, Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara’s theater community celebrated its annual Indy Awards on May 20th at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club.

Organized by Santa Barbara Independent, the event honored contributions from various theater roles between April 2024 and April 2025 — and introduced a Local Theater Hero Award for Pam Lasker.

UCSB Arts & Lectures will host a concert today at 7 p.m. at Campbell Hall featuring cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason.

The siblings — both award winners and internationally recognized performers — will render classical works from Mendelssohn to Poulenc in a refined presentation.

American pianist Garrick Ohlsson performed a makeup show at the Lobero Theatre last week after canceling his January performance due to illness—he delivered an all-Chopin concert that closed the CAMA season.

The event also marked retiring director Mark Trueblood’s final bow after 27 years of service.

An education expert with 25 years of local experience warned that schools in Santa Barbara County are relying on suspensions and expulsions instead of science-backed interventions, a practice that risks funneling vulnerable children into a school-to-prison pipeline.

The commentary cites Aliso Elementary’s selective testing and high absenteeism as signs that self-reported gains may mask deeper challenges—calling for independent oversight to ensure all students receive the support they need.

The Kiwanis Club of Santa Barbara and the Oddfellows Club honored 14 local high school graduates at a dinner event held at the Santa Barbara Carriage Museum.

The Kiwanis Club gave out 10 scholarships—$2,500 to eight students and $3,500 to two memorial awards—and the Oddfellows Club awarded four scholarships while Assemblymember Gregg Hart presented certificates.

Tamur the Amur leopard, a 5-year-old male from the San Diego Zoo, arrived in late April and now lives in the enclosure that once housed leopards Ajax and Marta—moved to zoos in the Midwest.

Zoo officials said the move is part of a plan to help save this rare species—planners will decide later if he gets a mate soon.

City officials unveiled a $13 million roundabout at the intersection of Cabrillo Boulevard and Los Patos Way on Wednesday—this project, funded by state and federal grants, will ease traffic for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians as crews reconfigure the Highway 101 offramp next year. The new design marks a long-awaited upgrade after 100 years of planning.

Santa Barbara Senior Living Consultants, founded in 2003, helps families find caring assisted living or in-home care options by assessing seniors' needs, preferences, and budgets.

Peggy Renker started the agency after caring for her own family, and the team now matches clients to safe local communities—in areas like Santa Barbara and Goleta—to support quality senior living.

Dos Pueblos beat Thousand Oaks (7-1) in the playoff semifinal and will face Ganesha of Pomona for the CIF-SS Division 4 Championship on Saturday, May 31 at 4 p.m. at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Mitch Kashmar Live Performance in Santa Barbara

7-10:30 p.m. — Carrillo Recreation Center — $35 general/$45 VIP — Experience the soulful sounds of blues legend Mitch Kashmar along with local favorites Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan.

UCSB Gamelan Ensemble

5-8 p.m. — Karl Geiringer Hall — Free entry — Experience the enchanting sounds of traditional Indonesian gamelan music performed by talented UCSB musicians.

2025 Nite Moves Summer Sunset Series

6 p.m. — Leadbetter Beach — Entry fee applies — Experience a thrilling evening of swimming, running, and biathlon events in scenic Santa Barbara.

Home & Garden Lifestyle Expo

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Earl Warren Showgrounds — Various show discounts — Explore hundreds of sustainable home and garden products and services under one roof.

Art KIT: Grant Writing, Funding, and Residencies Workshop

1-3:30 p.m. — Paseo Nuevo Conference Room — Cost info not provided — Explore the essentials of securing grants and funding for creative projects.

HOWL: Strawberry Moon

5-10 p.m. — Hotel Californian — Free entry — Experience inventive cocktails and personalized readings under the full Strawberry Moon.

Ryan Bingham Live in Concert

7:00 – 8:30 PM — Santa Barbara Bowl — Ticket prices vary — Experience Grammy and Oscar-winning artist Ryan Bingham alongside The Texas Gentlemen for an unforgettable night of music.

Brandy Clark Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Lobero Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Experience the renowned Brandy Clark and the legendary Mary Chapin Carpenter in an intimate live performance.

2025 Nite Moves Summer Sunset Series - June 18

6 p.m. — Leadbetter Beach — Entry fee varies — Experience a stunning evening of swimming, running, and biathlon events with picturesque ocean views.

Jaws in Concert

7:30-10 p.m. — The Granada Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Celebrate the 50th anniversary of JAWS with live orchestral performance by the Academy Festival Orchestra.

A Peaceful Montecito Escape Behind the Gates

This stunning Montecito home, in the quiet and welcoming enclave of Riven Rock Park, has been painstakingly updated by the present owners in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie architectural design. Exceptional landscape and stone work, charming walking paths, lawns, fruit trees, majestic oaks, and colorful foliage surround the home.