The whole parade makes a turn at the mile mark that lands the whole glittery, undulating celebration by flooding into Alameda Park. There awaits a tie-dyed, new age, beaded, braided, fringed, face-painted, dread-locked, didgeridoo playing, peace nicked, tree hugging, hippie love fest extravaganza that would make Jerry Garcia shed a tear of joy. And they sell imported beer! It was so, like, conscious and metaphysical and creative and free. If you didn’t know you were in California you sure as align-my-chakras know it now!
It really struck me how the whole city came out for this from every walk. I even saw elderly couples in druid-style forest spirit masks, men and women with flowers in their hair. It was beautiful, every bit of it. Like Jimi said: “I’m gonna wave my freak flag high.” And Santa Barbara will welcome you if you do.
I focused on anything bicycle in keeping with our theme here. The theme of the parade, however was: “Solar Flair”. Go put on some tie dye, assume your favorite yoga position and enjoy.
The heat has made me forgetful.
I found that very touching.
or be a beacon for aliens, or…?
Ancient Egyptians worshiped the sun god Ra – and he road a bike too!
It’s a big inflated sun and if you look closely there is a girl in the middle dancing on a pole… yeah you read right.
There was also a very beautiful, Polynesian-looking young woman wearing nothing but a tiny silver g-string and a pair of tiny white floral pasties blowing on a conch shell and jumping up and down, but I decided to spare you men the trauma of such an image.
…and all the village danced, drank mead and enjoyed life on into the night until the sun rose up again.