Good morning, Santa Barbara.

Santa Barbara will celebrate Fourth of July on Saturday, July 4 — featuring live music at West Beach with a street fair and road closures starting at 6:00 p.m. for safety.

Community events also include a beach cleanup on July 5 and a library exhibit from July 10 to 17.

A brush fire broke out Thursday evening near the 1200 block of North San Marcos Road in the foothills and was contained to 2-3 acres by three engines as additional units arrived - local authorities advised residents to avoid the area and monitor emergency alerts for potential evacuations.

Artist Sue DiCicco from the Peace Crane Project visited Foothill Elementary today to guide third graders through folding paper cranes as a symbol of peace.

One of her creations appears on the new USPS stamp (International Peace Forever) linking classroom creativity to a national message.

The Santa Barbara Writers Conference runs Sunday, June 21 to June 26 at the Mar Monte Hotel and features poetry workshops by Perie Longo, open mics, a Sunday poetry panel, and a Monday book signing at Chaucer’s Books; sessions include Monday-Tuesday morning and Wednesday-Friday afternoon workshops.

Thousands will line Santa Barbara Street to Alameda Park tomorrow at noon for the Summer Solstice Parade.

Dance groups including La Boheme have been practicing for weeks (perfecting choreography, costumes, and stamina) to energize the mile-long route.

Santa Barbara High School Alumni Association awarded $270,000 in scholarships during a ceremony on May 3 at its campus.

Alumni leaders gave remarks, and 87 recipients and their families enjoyed a reception with cake and food catered by Tino’s Italian Grocery (an alumnus-owned business).

UCSB’s Koegel Autism Center is offering two teen socialization programs for neurodivergent youth in Santa Barbara.

The eight-week START program meets twice weekly for skill building while a weekly Teen Hangout gives teens a relaxed setting to practice social skills + build confidence.

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum will host Jennifer Sachs for a talk on global island conservation on Thursday, July 16 at 7:00 p.m., with a pre-lecture reception (6:15–6:45 p.m.) for SBMM members.

County Health will change its services on July 1 by shifting blood draws to contracted labs at Lompoc and Santa Maria health centers, consolidating pharmacy operations from Santa Barbara and Santa Maria to Lompoc, and discontinuing specialty services at the Santa Barbara Health Center while keeping primary care unchanged.

The Cancer Foundation awarded $35K in grants to Organic Soup Kitchen and Santa Ynez Valley Community Outreach to help provide medically tailored meals and grocery shopping assistance for cancer patients in Santa Barbara County.

Dos Pueblos LL Junior All-Stars earned their championship ticket after a 9-0 win over Foothill LL on Wednesday at Girsh Park.

They will await the next matchup in the District 63 title game on Saturday at the same venue.

Four local baseball and softball players were named All CIF-SS honorees on Wednesday.

Dos Pueblos freshman Matti Di Maggio hit .500 in 31 games, Carpinteria High’s Jonah Hernandez excelled as a two way player, and Dos Pueblos’ Anastasia Brunner along with San Marcos’ Lucy Dessert earned honors (standout seasonal performances).

New Tree Planting & Pruning Workshop

10-11 a.m. — La Sumida Nursery — Free entry — Learn from a Certified Arborist about tree planting and pruning techniques.

Santa Barbara Auto Night

6-7:30 p.m. — Chase Palm Park — Free entry — Explore a showcase of vehicles from antiques to exotics at this vibrant car show.

Boho Tea Apothecary at Santa Barbara Lavender Festival

11 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Santa Barbara City College — Entry details not specified — Celebrate creativity with lavender-inspired artisans, food, drinks, and live entertainment.

Sinatra Under the Stars Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort — Full bar available — Experience iconic Sinatra hits in a stunning coastal outdoor setting.

Academy Festival Orchestra: The Planets, An HD Odyssey

7:30-9 p.m. — The Granada Theatre — Tickets available — Experience a cosmic journey through orchestral works accompanied by stunning NASA visuals.

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore Live Concert

7-10 p.m. — Lobero Theatre — Ticket details not specified — Experience the roots music fusion of Grammy winners Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

Soccer Summer Camp in Santa Barbara

9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. — University of California, Santa Barbara — Registration required — Train with Real Madrid coaches and improve your soccer skills while making new friends.

Jah Ollin Live with Koalishon & Heavy Rotation

9-11 p.m. — SOhO Restaurant & Music Club — Tickets available — Experience an evening of heavy rhythms and Irie vibes with Jah Ollin and special guests.