LONG LIVE SUMMER LOVE!!

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"On May 1, 1974, Michael Gonzales and two friends paraded up State Street sidewalks in costume to celebrate his May Day birthday. In subsequent years their parade moved to June to join with a Summer Solstice Music Festival coordinated by friend Michael Felcher in celebration of the longest day of the year. Felcher and Gonzales' group, Santa Barbara Mime & Music Theater was instrumental in developing the original parade. Today's parade is a growing collection of hundreds of local citizens and revelers from around the world - artists, dancers, and musicians, as well as just people with a great idea and a pack of friends, or anyone willing to carry giant puppets or push floats and dance their way up State Street."

Summer Solstice Painting Returns to Santa Barbara


"After an almost twenty year absence from the United States, a seminal painting by Michael Gonzales, Summer Solstice Celebration, 1981, has returned to Santa Barbara from Australia.

The painting has now been gifted to the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission and will be displayed permanently in the downtown Public Library."

Summer Solstice Celebration - Santa Barbara, California 2008





"The return of this painting by Kevin Tierney is a gift not only to the community, but to all those who continue to be inspired by the spirit of Michael Gonzales, the artist who first had the vision of a parade in Santa Barbara and fervently encouraged the creativity of its citizens. Michael died in May 1989 from AIDS. That June, a Maypole festooned with ribbons held high by his dancing friends led the Parade, with Michael's ashes stowed in its heart."

One man started a whole city celebrating...with a little help from his friends.

LONG LIVE THE SPIRIT OF LIFE, LOVE AND CELEBRATION!!!

There's not a wall around that can hold it back.

***DISCLAIMER***

This author is by NO MEANS in anyway responsible for the psychological trauma of those that attend that witness those less-than-in-shape parade participants who are inappropriately dressed in spandex and Lycra and sheer panties with feather tails and thongs that may create a visceral reaction for those suffering from bulimia and even for those who don't. But, the comic factor alone is GOLD. And totally worth the projectile vomiting that ensues. Trust me.