Ahead of Santa Barbara’s annual celebration of Old Spanish Days, city officials Tuesday urged visitors and residents not to use confetti as part of the fiesta.
Santa Barbara officials said there’s been an increased use of confetti at parades and festivals, posing a threat to the environment as it can easily blow into storm drains or creeks and beaches where it pollutes water and harms wildlife.
“While confetti eggs or cascarones have long been a tradition at Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days, we are now seeing large bags of confetti being sold and dumped on our sidewalks, streets and parks,” the city said.
If using confetti, the city of Santa Barbara encourages attendees to opt for paper over plastic. The city pointed to an increased use of shiny metallic confetti, sequins, glitter and silly string, which are all made from plastic.
These plastic-based decorations are not biodegradable and can be easily mistaken for food by birds, fish and other wildlife. They are also expensive and difficult to clean up, the city said.
Additionally, city officials are asking vendors selling cascarones to only use paper confetti or leaves, and avoid plastic and foam decorations on their exteriors. Cacarones are one of the most popular parts of the festival, with dozens of local families selling the eggs to attendees at its craft and souvenir markets.
Selling bags of confetti is also discouraged.
This year’s annual five-day festival, known by locals as Fiesta, will run from July 30 to Aug. 3.
The celebration has been a staple since the 1920s, honoring Santa Barbara’s heritage through parades, dance, food and art. It continues to draw thousands of attendees from across California.
More information about daily events can be found online.