History

Built in 1936 with federal funds from the Works Progress Administration, the Santa Barbara Bowl was created to house the annual pageant for the Old Spanish Days Celebration.

As legend has it, the natural canyon and pristine views of this area were considered when deciding on the ideal venue. When one group was walking the ridge, they could easily hear the other group below in the creek, and they all knew they had found the perfect location.

For decades, the Santa Barbara Bowl hosted local artists and regional tours but started to fall into disrepair after World War II.

This community treasure had a brief golden era in the 1970s, as concert touring started developing. Local artists discovered this gem, and the community enjoyed sunny afternoons with music. Acts like Jackson Browne, Jerry Garcia, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, and more made the burgeoning industry take notice of Santa Barbara.

In 1991, a group of concerned community volunteers formed the not-for-profit 501-(c)3 Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation to celebrate the venue’s natural beauty and invest in its future, making it one of the best places to see a concert in the world.

The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation took over management in 1994 and started the first capital improvements in 1995.  Since then, over $45m in improvements have been made.