Santa Barbara boasts some of the most stunning mountain and ocean vistas in the world, a wealth of historic architecture throughout town (we recommend the Red Tile Walking Tour), a premier selection of beaches and resorts, and of course plenty of gorgeous luxury real estate properties.  In addition to all this, owners of Santa Barbara homes enjoy a wonderful selection of local events year-round.  With Halloween approaching in less than a week, Sterling Properties in Santa Barbara is excited to share our favorite ways to celebrate this haunted holiday with you!

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, visit the Santa Barbara Zoo for the 2012 Boo at the Zoo festivities.  Hailed as one of the most beautiful zoos in the world, the Santa Barbara Zoo is home to more than 400 animals from 160 species.  Each year during the Halloween season, the Santa Barbara Zoo transforms into a trick or treater’s paradise.  This year’s theme, “Land of Adventure”, promises khaki-clad explorers and adventurers in addition to the usual cast of pirates, faeries, mermaids, and other volunteers who help make Boo at the Zoo a truly special experience.  With over 20 treat stations throughout the zoo featuring sustainable goodies, a Trick or Treat Trail, Boo Choo Choo train rides, Creepy Crawly encounters, Spooky Storytelling, Goblin Games, Costume Parades each night, and no worrying about traffic, Boo at the Zoo is a fantastic choice for celebrating a safe Halloween and remains one of the most popular Halloween events in the area.

Santa Barbara enjoys a rich Spanish and Mexican history, and as such our local Halloween season festivities include celebrations of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.  On Sunday, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will be hosting a Día de los Muertos Free Family Day, to share the Mexican tradition of remembering and honoring the dead.  Attendees can look forward to a colorful celebration featuring music, dance performances, bilingual storytelling, displays of altars created by local school and community groups, and opportunities to make your own art.  Historic Casa De La Guerra will also be hosting a Día de los Muertos Craft Day on Sunday, where visitors can participate in making traditional holiday crafts such as skeleton masks, sugar skulls, tissue paper marigolds, and prints while enjoying pan de muerto (a sweet bread) and Mexican hot chocolate.

Sterling Properties in Santa Barbara wishes you a safe and spooky Halloween!

October is typically a time for big, bright orange pumpkins.  But here in Santa Barbara, all eyes are on our favorite little yellow citrus fruits as we welcome the California Lemon Festival 2012!  This fun festival (October 13^th and 14^th at Girsh Park in Goleta, CA), brings together the greater Santa Barbara community to celebrate the big impact a little fruit has had on the area’s history.

Santa Barbara’s lemon history dates back to the late 1800s, when the Stow family planted the first commercial lemon orchard in California at Rancho La Patera after discovering that the mild weather in the verdant Goleta Valley, adjacent to Santa Barbara, was ideal for growing lemons.  Through the mid 20^th century, Goleta lemons enjoyed fame and were in high demand.  The hillsides of the Goleta Valley are still dotted with gorgeous lemon orchards to this very day, and homeowners in the area enjoy the fresh citrus fruits, the year-round views of the orchards against the mountains, and of course the value these orchards add to their Santa Barbara homes.

Featuring lemon cotton candy, lemon bars, lemon pies, lemonade, lemon ale, and many, many additional lemon-inspired goodies, the 21^st annual California Lemon Festival certainly won’t leave a sour taste in your mouth.  Local bands, dancers, and performers will offer entertainment all weekend.  In addition, there will also be a pie eating contest, a car show, demonstrations by local emergency response teams at “Safety Street”, and a wide selection of other games and activities (for a full schedule, click here). The California Lemon Festival in Goleta always serves to bring the Santa Barbara community together, providing a venue for local organizations and attendees to celebrate delicious and historically important Goleta lemons. 

Between great events like the California Lemon Festival and the natural beauty of the historic lemon orchards, it’s easy to see why Santa Barbara real estate and luxury homes are so highly desired among home seekers.  If you’re ready to find your Santa Barbara dream home, contact Sterling Properties.  We look forward to sharing our expertise in Santa Barbara real estate with you!