Ahead of Santa Barbara’s annual Spanish-era celebration, city officials on Tuesday urged visitors and residents not to use confetti as part of the Fiesta.
Santa Barbara officials say the use of confetti is on the rise at parades and festivals, poses an environment threat as it can easily blow storm drains, streams and beaches, pollute water and harm wildlife.
“Confetti eggs and cascarons were a long tradition in the old Spanish era in Santa Barbara, but now we see large bags of confetti on sale and being dumped in the streets and parks,” the city said.
If you are using confetti, the city of Santa Barbara encourages participants to choose paper over plastic. The city pointed out that there is an increase in the use of shiny metallic confetti, sequins, sparkly and stupid strings. All of these are made from plastic.
These plastic-based decorations are not biodegradable and can easily be mistaken for foods made by birds, fish and other wildlife. They are also expensive and difficult to clean, the city said.
Additionally, city officials are asking vendors selling cascarons to use only paper confetti and leaves, avoiding exterior plastic and foam decorations. Kakaron is one of the most popular parts of the festival, with dozens of local families selling eggs to attendees at the craft and souvenir market.
I’m also disappointed to sell confetti bags.
This year’s annual five-day festival, known to locals as the Fiesta, will be held from July 30th to August 3rd.
This celebration has been a staple since the 1920s, celebrating Santa Barbara’s heritage through parades, dance, food and art. It continues to attract thousands of participants from across California.
More information about the daily event can be found online.
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