Santa Barbara, California, is celebrating its 103rd Old Spanish Days, and as part of the festivities, six writers have been honored for their poetry. The winners, ranging in age, expressed their thoughts about the historic event through their poems, which were compiled into a collection of community spirits, history, and celebrations.
The winners gathered at the Santa Barbara Library downtown to share their work and thoughts on how they created their pieces. Each reflected on the event, either as a whole or through the role of an individual engaging in Fiesta. Father Larry Gosslin, this year’s Fiesta Poet Laureate, said it was tough to pick winners due to the high quality of submissions.
Poetry Contest Winners Share Their Work
Winner Elise Swanson Ochoa aimed to bring out the imagery of Fiesta, with its dancing, music, and natural beauty. Another winner, Justin Young, wrote short sentences and brief bursts of words, highlighting the spiritual and grounding aspects of dancing. The poems showcased the community’s spirit and connection to the event.
The winners will read their pieces at multiple events throughout Fiesta weekend, August 5-9. The three winners received cash prizes, while the runner-ups received gift certificates.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
