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Community Festivals

Background: The IVCSD hosts two community festivals each year,  one in the fall and one in the spring. These festivals are strategically scheduled during historically high activity weekends in Isla Vista: Halloween in the fall and Deltopia in the spring. These weekends typically attract significant tourism, often driven by the area's party culture, which can overshadow the rich diversity of talent, art, and commerce within our community.

Mission: Our community festivals aim to transform these weekends into celebrations of local culture, creating safe and inclusive spaces for all residents. By combining local art, entertainment, and safety resources, we encourage community engagement and promote public safety. These festivals offer a variety of opportunities for residents to connect, participate, and support one another, fostering a stronger and safer community.

Why Community Festivals are Important in Isla Vista: Our community festivals are dedicated to creating safe, inclusive, and engaging spaces where the entire Isla Vista community can come together to celebrate and support local artists, businesses, organizations, and nonprofits. IVCSD's Community Festivals are part of our public safety initiatives, designed to meet our community where they are, bridge access to local resources, and promote opportunities for community involvement and connection.

IVCSD's Community Festivals are part of our public safety initiatives, designed to meet our community where they are, bridge access to local resources, and promote opportunities for community involvement and connection.

 

Photo Galleries:

Outdoor spring festival with crowd, tents, and a clear sky in 2024.
Spring Festival 2024 
Outdoor spring festival with people socializing, a clear sky, and a sign indicating the event.
Festival Entrance
A first aid station with medical personnel and equipment at an outdoor event.
Providing access to safety resources
A group of people in casual attire gathered near portable toilets, with trees and a blue sky in the background.
Public restrooms
Outdoor band performance with female vocalists and guitarist, colorful setting.
Performances from localbands + musicians
Outdoor food stand with workers and a queue of customers, cooking station in front with tortillas on the grill.
A safe space to grab food and water
Outdoor concert with a band performing and an enthusiastic crowd enjoying the music.
Creating safe spaces for community members to enjoy
People smiling at a Fall Festival 2023 event.
Fall Festival 2023 
People at a stall promoting LGBTQ+ rights, with flags, ribbons, and a sign reading "TRANS & QUEER".
Providing access to local resources
A person holding a colorful abstract painting outdoors.
Showcasing local artists
Artist painting a colorful canvas outdoors.
Showcasing local artists
A band performs outdoors with guitars and a drum set, audience in the background, sunny day.
Providing a platform for local bands and musicians
A sunny street fair with tents, people browsing, and a vintage orange VW bus.
Festival view
Three men smiling at a food stall, two in chef attire and one holding a cleaver; "Goodland Grillers" logo visible.
Supporting small + local businesses
A person grilling meat at an outdoor event, applying sauce from a yellow squeeze bottle.
Local fare
Four people smiling on a park bench on a sunny day.
Fostering a sense of community
Outdoor spring festival with people sitting on grass, and a band performing on a stage.
Spring Festival 2023 
Outdoor gathering with seated people, tents, and a band performing under blue skies.
Three people behind a table with a "LIFE OF THE PARTY" banner at an outdoor event with tents and informational materials.
A sunny day with people lined up to use a row of portable toilets in a parking lot.
A group of people in various costumes posing for a photo at a "FALL FESTIVAL 2022" event.
Fall Festival 2022 
A group of people in various costumes posing for a photo in a room with festive decorations.
Costume contest
Two kids posing for a photo with a spooky forest backdrop. Someone is taking their picture using a smartphone on a tripod.
Photo booth
A group of people at the Isla Vista Safety Station providing services like safety escorts, water, phone charging, and a rest spot.
Safety resources
People in costumes at a crafting table, Halloween decorations in the background.
Fun activities
Two children in costumes with one getting face paint by an adult.
Face painting
Indoor space with tables, chairs, plants, and people in the background; resembles a community hall or event space.
Community Center interior setup
Crowd at an outdoor "Spring Festival 2022" event with stage lighting and a big screen in the background.
Spring Festival 2022 
Outdoor concert with audience dancing and a large screen showing a performer.
Free performances from local bands and musicians
Outdoor event setup with chairs, umbrellas, stage, and scattered audience.
Outdoor venue
Outdoor concert with a crowd watching a band, stage lights, big screen showing a singer.
Free performances from local bands and musicians
Outdoor event setup with food trucks, portable toilets, tables, and canopies in a parking lot.
Providing access to restrooms and food

 

 

Past Festivals: