With rains hitting the Santa Ynez Valley in the days leading up to Jan. 1, organizers of the second annual Copenhagen Countdown on New Year’s Eve at Solvang Park had concerns about whether the event would come off.

However, Solvang Parks and Rec Marketing and Events Coordinator Candice Libera said a conversation with the day’s booked entertainment, the local ‘80s tribute band the Molly Ringwald Project, put to rest any thoughts that the Countdowns would be canceled.

“With the rain coming down earlier in the week and forecast throughout today, we really wondered about having to call it off,” said Libera, who added that many attractions and vendors, like face painters, had to be eliminated. “However, when we talked to the band, they said ‘we’ll be there, no problem,’ and I figured, OK, if they can come here and play, then we can go forward with it.”

And so it was, as the six-piece Molly Ringwald Project entertained a loud and enthusiastic crowd on the afternoon of Dec. 31 in the newest part of the city’s Julefest Celebration.

Starting at 2 p.m., band played their customary 1980s favorites such as “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Heartbreaker,” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” as the audience cheered and danced up a storm — so to speak — and those who chose to sit could do so in canopies provided to protect them from any rains, which during the show were at a minimum.

The City of Solvang began the new tradition of a Copenhagen Countdown in 2024, the idea being to bring families to a New Year’s celebration without having to stay up until midnight, and have something to bridge the gap between Christmas and the Solvang Tree Burn that signifies the end of the city’s Julefest.

It was an event that was welcome by locals as well as out-of-towners. A group of Solvang residents, led by Kim and Matt Farris were celebrating in style, having a table set up in their little spot in the park, with food and drink at the ready.

“This is such a great event, and it’s a really good crowd here,” Kim Farris said while enjoying the music. “All the things they’ve done this month have been good for everyone here, and I’m glad Solvang has found its niche as a holiday destination.”
Visiting from out of town was Sophia Hsu, from LA County, who was celebrating her birthday, and was even invited by the band to say a few words.

“I just want to say ‘God Bless America’ and please pray for America,” Hsu said to a rousing ovation.

After the event, Hsu, who could be seen dancing to the music with her husband, Cliff, said her words came from her religious faith and love for her adopted country.

“I came here 40 years ago, and I feel the spirit of this country and the holiday spirit,” she said. “God came back into my life, and I went back to my native Taiwan to spread his word, and have come back, and I just wanted to let people know this is a wonderful country and we need to stay united.”

Halfway through the band’s set, its members stopped at 3 p.m., when it officially became the new year in Solvang’s sister city of Copenhagen, Denmark, to count down to zero and celebrate the “new year” in Solvang. After that, the MRP played some more of the ’80s hits, ending with “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds, which was in the movie “The Breakfast Club,” which co-starred, of course, Molly Ringwald.

Afterward, as the band started packing up for a gig in San Luis Obispo later that night, members of the MRP expressed how much it meant to play in the event.

“Solvang’s always been good to us,” said Rob Cantrell, who in addition to being the bass player is also a teacher and girls soccer coach at Santa Ynez High. “We started out here in the Valley and we always loving playing here. We would have come for this show no matter what the weather.”

Guitarist/vocalist Ian Musgrove echoed those thoughts and pointed out the crowd for the New Year’s Eve afternoon event.
“The crowd was great today; they were really into it and there was dancing all over the place,” he said. “That’s what makes it super-special to come to play in the Valley.”

With the success of the first two Countdowns, there’s no doubt that people will be around for the next one on Dec. 31, 2026.

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For the fourth year, the Santa Ynez Valley Botanic Garden was the backdrop of colorful holiday displays over the first three weekends of December, as the Holiday Lights Festival was held at the garden next to Buellton’s River View Park.

On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sunday from Dec. 5-21, visitors could walk the paths from 5 to 9 p.m. and see glittering display along with the usual flora. Holiday displays were shown along with likenesses of forest creatures, butterflies, and mushrooms, among others — all in a wide variety of colors.

Lighted displays also covered makeshift tunnels to walk through as well as makeshift huts and tents that kids could go into.

And there was even live entertainment for anyone waking through the enchanted holiday garden.

On Dec. 20, the next to last day for the festival, a choir with the PCPA Youth & Community Arts program, based at Allan Hancock College, were singing Christmas carols on a temporary stage amid all the lights. It was one of a few programs the group were doing this holiday season.

“We started rehearsals for this, maybe three weeks ago,” said Samantha Nakagaki, intern for the Youth & Community Arts program. “We actually had three shows: One was an hour-long show we did at the Santa Maria Inn, a 10-minute version for the Rotary Club, and this 30-minute show that we’ll do for the last time tomorrow.”

Nakagaki said Youth & Community Arts is an offshoot of the main PCPA theater group which aims to reach the public.

“Our main thing is to come out to the community and do outreach, and just connect with the people,” she said. “Earlier in the fall, we did a local school tour where we did performances for about 8,000 kids total.”

In addition to the live performances from the PCPA group, there were other attractions at the park in addition to the lights, as food and drink was available with local food trucks set up, and a holiday market was set up, with local vendors ready to sell their seasonal treats and gifts. Also, Santa Claus was available for photos, and numerous musical performers got to play for the crowds depending on what night they came.

The Holiday Lights Festival was held with the help of numerous sponsors: Gold sponsor The Woods-Claeyssens Foundation, Silver sponsor Rio Vista Chevrolet, Bronze sponsors VisitSYV and the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, and Ornament sponsors Discover Buellton, Nancy and Gary Brown, Mechanics Bank, Santa Ynez Valley Rotary, Santa Barbara Lights, and En Fuego Events.

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PART ONE OF TWO

The Santa Ynez Valley spent 2025 maintaining a lot of traditions, welcoming its usual crowds of tourists while trying to keep the things that make the area livable for its residents. Longtime annual events like Danish Days, the 4th of July fireworks show, and Julefest continued to roll along, while newer yearly staples like Buellton’s Fall Fest, the Holiday Lights Festival and the Viking Classic Car Show in Solvang solidified their footprints into the local culture. Cities also saw some transition as new City Council took over in Buellton and Solvang, and people looked to the future with projects taking shape and (hopefully) moving slowly but surely. Here’s a look at 2025 for the Santa Ynez Valley, from Month 1 to 12.

January

Solvang Senior Center Executive Director Ellen Albertoni got a little choked up as her and seven other city leaders shoveled some dirt to constitute the groundbreaking of the new Solvang Senior Center by the Veterans Memorial Hall. The new 5,500-square-foot, two-story building, which will double the size of the current facility, is taking shape and should be ready sometime in 2026.

Meanwhile, Buellton and Solvang were installing their new City Councils under new mayors David Silva and David Brown, respectively. Solvang would immediately appoint a new City Councilmember, Louise Smith, to fill an election-caused vacancy, but Buellton opted for a special election to fill their vacancy (see August). In Buellton, the local SYV Humane Society helped out in the Palisades Fire effort as it housed some pets who had to be evacuated from Malibu, and back in Solvang, people got to check out youngsters’ business savvy in the annual Jr. Entrepreneur Fair.

February

Five years after purchasing the former Willemsen Dairy property for public use, the City of Buellton and its residents got to see a big result of that acquisition on Feb. 8 with the grand opening of the new Buellton Library. City leaders got to cut the ribbon, and residents got to see the inside with a cozy reading area, a fireplace, conference rooms and a picture window that allows patrons a full view of the hills south of Buellton.

Also in February, we got to hear about Los Alamos meatcutter Ray Williams, who earned a spot on Team USA for the World Butcher Challenge (WBC) in France, and the California Nature Art Museum in Solvang reopened with a new tenant, a wooden troll named Lulu Hyggelig, a creation from Danish artist Thomas Dambo, who has several other trolls he completed all over the world. Lulu, however, is his first in California.

March

The Santa Ynez High girls basketball team made a memorable postseason run in 2025, not only making it to the CIF Central Section Division IV championship game, where the Lady Pirates lost in Fresno to Immanuel High, but because of that title-game berth, made it into the state playoffs. SYHS would beat Serra High of Gardena at home, but then get eliminated by Granada Hills Charter to finish with a 21-13 overall record. Head coach Jennifer Rasmussen said of her players, “I’m incredibly proud of their achievements and the dedication they’ve shown throughout the season.”

Other SYHS students were also getting attention: The school’s drama department put on a production of “Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School of Rock,” on the weekend of May 14-16, with students put on engaging performances in a show that saw the cast members coming off the stage and into the audience for some numbers.

April

For the first weekend in April, Solvang became Legoland as the city hosted the first Bricks & Builds event for avid Lego builders, a fitting designation since the Lego brand did originate in Denmark. The two-day event saw all kinds of Lego builds displayed across the Veterans Memorial Hall, a contest for the best build based on a Hans Christian Andersen character, a pop-up Lego store and so much more. Organizer Allyson Gail expressed her desire to make the event an annual one to make up for the lack of a Lego-style convention in the state of California.

At the same time as, but unrelated to, the Lego event, over 100 people gathered in front of the Veterans Hall along Mission Drive to participate in a national day of protest against President Donald Trump’s policies. The “Hands Off” was part of a nationwide protest that drew over 3 million to demonstrations across the nation. Othern happenings in the Valley later in the month included the Buellton Easter Egg Hunt at Riverview Park on April 19, and the annual Cachuma Lake Fishing Derby on April 26-27.

May

The end of the month saw Santa Ynez High School say goodbye to 211 graduating seniors during the Class of 2025 commencement at Rio Memorial Field. SYHS Superintendent/Principal Dr. Kimberly Sheehan lauded the school’s alumni for always ready to support the current students and reminded the 2025 grads that they’re “once a Pirate, always a Pirate.” The next day, 28 students got their diplomas at the commencement for Dunn School in Los Olivos, a ceremony highlighted by the annual poem recited by Head of School Kalyan Balaven, sprinkled with references to members of the graduating class.

Other May highlights included the opening of the Chumash Cultural Museum, the Valley’s newest jewel of Highway 246, the Santa Ynez boys volleyball team winning a CIF Central Section championship after a thrilling five-set win over Sanger High of Fresno in the Division II title match, and the return of the Ranchos Visitadores riders, in their annual ride from Santa Barbara, and down Alisal Road on their way to the meet-up at Mission Santa Ines.

June

As the summer season started coming into view, there were a number of celebrations and events bringing people outdoors, including the Los Olivos Olive and Jazz Festival on June 7, the fourth annual Pride Parade in Solvang, and the Santa Ynez Old Days weekend event, which included a parade and rodeo on June 21-22.

Solvang also got to host the movers and shakers of the Valley with the Santa Ynez Valley Economic Summit, where local figures in government, business, and tourism discussed how to make tourism work with a community’s desire to maintain a regular life for its residents. Much of the same kind of discussion could be heard later that month with the Buellton State of the City address.

See the Year in Review for events from July to September in our next issue Jan. 16.

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Once again, the Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church will be hosting the annual Nativity Pageant. Autumn Van der Linden will be directing the event, which will take place on Sunday, Dec. 14, beginning at 4 p.m., featuring live animals for petting, courtesy of Seein’ Spots Farm, along with animals from members of the 4-H Club, coordinated by Debbie Jones. Coffee will be provided by Holy Grounds, followed at 5 p.m. with the Nativity Pageant, which will be held in the Sanctuary. 

C.J. Jackson will return as narrator with Sean and Melissa Diggins as Mary and Joseph. 

“This year I’m hoping to have the cast members interacting more with the audience,” said Van der Linden. “We will also have Christmas music playing outside for atmosphere and some Bethlehem backdrops for those who would like to take a Christmas photo.” 

“The adult choir is grow- ing, so they will be performing even more songs this year. Anyone who would like to join the choir who is of high school age or older is welcome to join,” she added. “This year the choir will include two new members of the church, the new church pastor, Gunnar Tesdahl, and his assistant, Lauren Thill. 

“The children’s choir is also growing ever stronger and will be performing as angels and shepherds. If your children would like to participate, ages preschool through sixth grade are also welcome. Costumes will be provided. Even if they can’t make it to rehearsals, they are still welcome. Simply email office@syvpc.org and I will make arrangements for your child to participate,” said Van der Linden. 

The rehearsal dates and times can be found at www. syvpc.org/solvangnativitypageant. 

Harpist Emma Tesdahl will once again be performing, as will the Santa Barbara Strings, led by Mary Beth Woodruff. Additionally, a duet will be performed by mother and son, Sarah and Judah Kiser. 

Alan Satch well will be directing the adult and live worship band during the pageant. 

“Following the closing of the pageant, everyone is invited to enjoy our after-show fellowship time in the adjacent Family Center building, featuring food for purchase (Lucca Pizza, Soup and Chili bar, baked goods) and free activities for kids (crafts, cookie decorating, hot chocolate bar),” said Ruthy Gallo, who is in charge of the post- show. “Food tickets will be sold on-site the night of the show (cash only), as well as in the church office from Dec. 8 through 12 during office hours.” 

“This year both of my children, ages 3 and 7, will be singing in the choir,” said Van der Linden. “We have been practicing, and they are so excited. I am so blessed that I am able to pass along this moment in time for them to remember when they are both grown up. I, too, will be taking the stage again to perform a solo along with the choir for the finale.” 

This year, there will also be overflow seating available in the Holy Grounds Coffee Shop with a live screen. 

“I encourage people to come early as parking spaces fill up fast,” said Van der Linden. “Also, getting in line early will guarantee a seat inside the Sanctuary.” 

“This is a non-denominational community event,” she added. “All the choir members and the cast come from different churches in the Valley and Lompoc, and the children are from all the schools in the Valley as well. The Nativity Pageant is a free Valley-wide community Christmas event although donations are gratefully appreciated to cover the costs for this beautiful event. Everyone is invited to attend.” 

For more information, email office@syvpc.org or call (805) 688-6323 between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. 

The Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church is at 1825 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang. 

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Solvang has announced new facets to its annual holiday celebration, Julefest, the magical time of year when Solvang’s charm reaches peak heights. The 2025-26 edition of Solvang Julefest returns to the Santa Ynez Valley wine country destination on Friday, Nov. 28, uns through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. The celebration will once again include multiple holiday-themed happenings all located within the town. 

Included in this festive roster are the nightly Light, Music & Snow Shows in Solvang Park (corner of Mission Drive and First Street), which run throught the entire Julefest. The holiday-themed, choreographed light and music display, right in the center of Solvang’s historic village, features two different 10-minute shows that will alternate on the hour each evening. Showtimes will be every hour on the dot from 5 to 9 p.m., and at the end of each show, Solvang Park will be dusted with a flurry of season- ally-appropriate snow. 

One of the new daily occurrences throughout Solvang Julefest will be located within Solvang restaurant and bar, Craft House At Corque, as they host MIRACLE – The Christmas Cocktail Pop-Up Bar, from Nov. 18 through Jan. 4, 2026. Miracle, as described on the concept’s website, “is a Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar that serves holiday cocktails in a festive setting. With kitschy holiday décor, professionally-developed cocktails and the nostalgic energy of the best office party you’ve ever been to, Miracle is sure to get even the grouchiest grinch in the holiday spirit.” Craft House At Corque is taking reservations for the holiday cocktail conversion via Tock, with two different reservation options, “Miracle Family,” during “Family Hours,” and “Miracle 21+,” with reservations available at any time. Information will also be posted to Instagram: @ miracleatcrafthouse. 

New to this year’s Solvang Julefest lineup are storytime sessions with local authors, Adam and Kate McHugh, as the couple launches their first children’s book, Ferd and the Magic Hat: A Solvang Christmas Story. The new release, illustrated by Allie Daigle, spins a whimsical and joyful Christmas tale for children and their “grownups” who read along, as it celebrates the community, the heritage, the “hygge,” and the bright welcome of Solvang during the holidays. 

“Every year we try to find new ways to add just a bit more charm to our enchanting Danish village holiday celebration, Solvang Julefest. Julefest’s fun festivities provide entertaining options for all ages, for our locals and our visitors, with new daytime events and extra evening magic,” said Randy Murphy, Solvang’s city manager. “Consider this the season when storybook Solvang takes a Christmas turn, making this one of the most celebrated winter holiday destinations.” 

Additional, daily Solvang Julefest activities include the annual Nisser Adventure, where, between Nov. 28 and Jan. 4, participants of all ages join in a city-wide hunt for the mysterious Solvang Nisser (Christmas elves) which have hidden themselves through- out downtown Solvang. Once participants have found each Nisse, they may return to the Visitor Center to receive a special Solvang keepsake. 

Solvang Julefest also provides cheerful holiday shopping opportunities with a Makers Market in Solvang Park, happening three Wednesdays in December (Dec. 3, 10, 17; 3 to 7 p.m.). 

Solvang Julefest tour options include the evening Solvang Julefest Candlelight Tours offered on select dates, complete with Christmas carols and an entertaining education about some Danish traditions and Solvang history. The tours’ daytime counterpart, Solvang Jul Daylight Tours, are morning experiences (10 a.m. start) also led by a local Dane dressed in traditional folk garb. Returning to this year’s Solvang Julefest is the Solvang Trolley Christmas Light Tour, whisking hot chocolate-fueled Trolley riders through the Santa Ynez Valley for a nighttime glimpse of local light displays. Details and ticket sales for each tour will be available online at solvangusa. com/things-to-do/solvang-ju-lefest/ 

The first weekend in December features the Solvang Julefest Tree Lighting Ceremony, set for Friday, Dec. 5, at 5 p.m. in Solvang Park (tree lighting occurs at about 6:30 PM), and the 2025 Solvang Julefest ParadeSaturday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m.) with marching bands, horses, classic cars, plus more parade floats and entries, all traveling along Solvang’s main streets. Post-parade, Julefest boasts an opportunity to meet Mr. Claus in Solvang Park. 

Now in its second year, Solvang Julefest’s New Year’s event, “Copenhagen Count- down,” parties in Solvang Park on Wednesday, Dec. 31, from 2 to 4 p.m., with a family-friendly countdown to New Year’s in Denmark (3 p.m. PST). The event will feature live music by the Molly Ringwald Project, children’s activities, and varied food and beverage vendors in the beer, wine, and spirits garden (further details TBA; also weather permitting). 

Solvang Julefest’s unofficial conclusion is marked by the annual Solvang Christmas Tree Burn, usually held in early January, and considered to be one of the largest fire safety demonstrations along the California Central Coast. The 2026 Tree Burn is currently scheduled for Friday, Jan. 9, at 5 p.m. (weather permitting). 

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Residents and visitors to the Santa Ynez Valley took advantage of Halloween to roam the area in their scariest, funniest, and wackiest (or some combination of the three) costumes — or in their regular clothes — to partake in “spooky season” events held in the area.

Chief among those events was the 31st Annual Haunted House and Street Fair in Solvang. For the second straight year, the city’s Parks and Recreation created a scary setup at the Solvang Festival Theater for the week- end of October 24 and 25. 

Reception for the Haunted House was unprecedented as the attraction drew record numbers, with 1,137 people showing up on Friday, and 1,634 on Saturday, when the line to get in went all the way up 2nd Street and around the corner along Copen- hagen Drive. 

“This has been great,” said Candice Libera of Solvang Parks and Rec, who was managing the entrance at the theater. “We had almost 1,200 last night and are expecting more. And everybody’s enjoying the fair we have out here.” 

Yes, the Street Fair. As folks were waiting in line at the theater others were roaming about, many in costumes to check out the street vendors and also grab a bite to eat at the Whiskey and Rye food truck. In addition to delicious dishes, the owners also had a widescreen TV so nobody missed Game 2 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays. 

However, the big attraction to the Fair, other than the Haunted House, was a flash mob of locals performing the Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance. The group gathered at approximately 6:30 in zombie makeup to do the dance to the classic tune from the King of Pop. 

Maria Henning of Santa Barbara was one of the volunteers who took part in the performance. 

“I answered an email asking for dancers, and I thought it would be fun,” she said.“We rehearsed for two weeks at the Maverick Saloon, and I think we pulled it off OK.” 

An old aquaintance of Henning’s, Kylie Tigard of Solvang, also participated in the flash mob. 

“Maria and I went to school together over 40 years ago at Santa Ynez High,” Tigard said.“We’re still out doing crazy stuff.” 

Caroline Howe of Solvang was one of leaders of the mob, helping out Vanessa Robertson, a line-dance instructor at the Maverick, who organizes the event every Halloween. 

“I’m just here helping out Vanessa,” Howe said after the early Saturday performance. “She teaches the line dancing at the Maverick, and we’ve been getting the ‘Thriller’ flash mob together for the last five years. We always seem to draw some people, so it should be going next year, and however many years after.” 

A few days after the Haunted House closed up shop for another year, Solvang Parks and Rec took to Facebook to thank everyone: “THANK YOU for making the 31st Annual Haunted House & Street Fair a TREAT! We had a record-breaking weekend!” 

The department credited Fred Lageman for being the “creative genius behind the theme & design,” Jalen, Jenny,Elisa,Candice,TerriandWendy, for the décor at the front of house; and the Parks & Maintenance crew for setup, cleanup and road closures. 

The department also gave credit to volunteers like Vivi and Ken Zigler, Anne and Val Nicholas, Kasi Magu- ire, Ryan Metzger, Athena McCan- dlish, Terri Harmon, Claudia Orona (for makeup), Chantel Green of the Solvang Festival Theater, Kevin McConnell (music and sound), the guides “walking five miles a night” and monsters and the street fair vendors for adding to the fun! The department added that funds raised at the event go back into community programs — keeping them affordable for all. 

Solvang wasn’t the only community hosting a Halloween event on Saturday, Oct. 24 — the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce was holding its own Halloween celebration on Sagunto Street. 

While there was no haunted house, there was a street busy with activity as attendees and the still-open businesses on the street greeted trick-or- treaters, took part in a costume contest, and some families sat on hay bales in a viewing area to watch the Disney Pixar movie “Coco” on a big-screen TV. 

Linda Small, executive director of the Santa Ynez Chamber of Commerce, said the organization started this event up again as sort of a trial run after the event was interrupted. 

“We had this going for a number of years, with bounce houses, petting zoos, a lot of things,” Small said. “Then the pandemic hit and we had to discontinue it. This is our first attempt after the pandemic and we thought a movie, the businesses with the trick-or-treat- ing, the restaurants being open, would draw some people. 

“We’re just testing it out now, and we know there are a lot of other things going on tonight. We’ll see how this goes and if we have it again next year, and maybe make it bigger.” 

Among the attendees were the Arias family from Lompoc — Ozzie, Melissa, and their toddler daughter Kaia — who were the winners in the family category of the costume contest. Ozzie wore an inflatable dinosaur on his lower half, making it look like he was riding on top of it, while little Kaia wore a dinosaur onesie and Melissa went with a more understated dinosaur decoration. 

“We heard about this and thought it would be fun; it’s our daughter’s first year that she’s aware of Halloween, so we thought we’d come out here because it’s a little more low-key,” Ozzie said. 

Across the Valley, people had a few more days to vote in the Scarecrow Fest, as businesses’ themed scarecrow display were up for judging, as onlookers were invited to vote for their favorites. 

According to the Scarecrow Fest website (syvscarecrows.com), 52 displays were put up all over the Valley, up from 46 in last year’s contest. A list of winners, as well as the winner of the Harvest Award for the most popular will be shown in a future issue. 

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Staff Report

The fifth annual Buellton Fall Festival will return to the Avenue of the Flags in Buellton from Nov. 7-9. The event schedule is Friday, Nov. 7, from 4 to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8 and 9, from 12 to 10 p.m.
The family-friendly, free-admission event will feature a carnival with rides and games, over 40 bands on two stages, and over 60 food and merchant vendors. It’s conveniently located right off Highway 101 in Buellton.
This year, the event organizers have focused on bringing in more carnival rides, headliners, and special entertainment nights.
“The Buellton Fall Fest is a great event for the entire community and visitors alike,” said Kathy Vreeland, executive director of the Buellton Chamber of Commerce. “Being on a holiday weekend allows families to come out every day and enjoy all the rides, games, food, and the live music. We look forward to this event each year and are so thankful for En Fuego Events for bringing this event to Buellton. The festival takes place on the Avenue of Flags and showcases the heart of our city. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Buellton.”
On Friday, Nov. 7, the Fall Fest kicks off with an ’80s and ’90s Dance Party on the Rio Vista Chevrolet Main Stage featuring everyone’s favorite, The Molly Ringwald Project. Also playing will be the 90s Babies, Smelly Cat, and The Last Decade.
Saturday, Nov. 8, will be the “Funk ‘n’ Rock the Block Party,” with Nautical Thrust, The New Vibe, and False Puppet. Saturday evening will be Reggae Night, featuring local band Cornerstone, and reggae legend and
icon, Pato Banton. Pato is a Grammy-nominated reggae legend who has recorded and toured the world with The English Beat, Steel Pulse, UB40, and Sting, among many others.

Pato’s concerts are upbeat, positive, energetic, and family-friendly. He travels all over the world, and now he will host a free concert at the Buellton Fall Fest.
“Having Pato come back and do this free concert during the Buellton Fall Festival is going to be amazing for the community,” said event organizer and co-owner of En Fuego Events, Andres Nuño. “We had a lot of people reach out hoping to have him come back and play the Fall Fest, and we are excited we finally were able to make it happen.”
Sunday, Nov. 9, starts with Fiesta Sunday, featuring Traviesos Jr., Equipo Marcado, and Equipo Elite.

The event ends with Country Night, featuring the Jimi Nelson Band, and local favorites Agin Brothers and Territorial Law, and Jayden Secor. Adding to the fun will be the Central Coast’s finest line dance instructor, Vanessa Robertson.
You can see the full entertainment schedule, including the bands playing on the Discover Buellton Stage at www.BuelltonFallFest.com/entertainment.
The carnival will feature rides and games for all ages, including the Century Ferris Wheel, the Zipper, bumper cars, a carousel, Super Slide, Extreme, Kamikaze, Pharaohs Fury, and other favorites.
Carnival presale All-You-Can-Ride wristbands ($38) are available online until Thursday, Nov. 6, at 10 p.m. Carnival wristbands and credits will continue to be available online and at the Fall Fest after the presale deadline. You can also purchase All-You-Can-Ride wristbands in person at the Buellton Chamber of Commerce located at 597 Avenue of the Flags, Suite 101.
For guests over 21, the Ales on the Avenue boutique-style Beer and Wine Festival will feature more than 12 breweries, ciders, and wineries on Saturday, Nov. 8. The event is from 12 to 3:30 p.m. and tickets are $35 presale. Tickets are available on the event website.
The Buellton Fall Festival donates a portion of proceeds to the Buellton Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund that benefits local high school seniors.
For more information about the Buellton Fall Festival, visit www.BuelltonFallFest.com.

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Santa Ynez resident Jeff Gourson enjoys taking his restored maroon 1964 Pontiac GTO out to car shows, and even taking a drive in it with his wife Stacey to have lunch in Los Alamos. However, that doesn’t mean he completely enjoyed the road he took to finally get the vehicle in its current shape.

“It was nightmare; I never want to do it again,” Gourson said in Solvang on Saturday, Oct. 11, during the third annual Viking Classic Car Show. “If I decide to get a new car, I’ll go to one of the dealerships and get the finished product.”

However, he didn’t mind the attention the GTO got, as he won the Solvang Mayor’s Award, as Mayor David Brown picked that one as his favorite of the approximately 250 entries in the show.

It was the fifth annual car show put on by the Vikings of Solvang since the organizers of its predecessor, the Wheels and Windmills car show, decided to discontinue the event. The Vikings are a 501(c)(3) organization that provides funding for the medically related needs of qualified individuals and health care organizations in the Santa Ynez Valley and throughout Santa Barbara County. All money raised from the show went toward that goal.

The show’s Mayor’s Trophy pick seemed like it would be a difficult one for Brown, and maybe it was, until he talked to Gourson about his ride.

“I looked around at the cars, and I just saw this as one I would really love driving if I owned one,” Brown said after he presented Gourson with the award. “And then he told me the story about what he went through to get it this way, I knew I would pick this one.”

Ah, yes, the story behind the Pontiac. We’ll let Mr. Gourson continue with it.

“In 1964 my dad said he would co-sign for a car, and I told him I wanted a Pontiac LeMans Tempest,” he said. “Well, they didn’t have that one, so they offered me at GTO, and $3,100 later I brought it home.”

After a few years, Gourson decided to sell the car, but then started missing ownership of the car.

“I got a bug and I wanted my old car back,” he said. “So, my wife Stacey found a restoration company in Burbank and the guy there found the old frame for the model. 

“However, shortly after he started restoring it, he went bankrupt,” Gourson said. “I got a letter from his lawyer saying I’d better come and get it or they will impound it, so I went down there with a trailer and brought it back. After we stored it for about five years, we got a new restorer. Then we found out none of the parts we had fit. After contacting the previous restorer, the one who went bankrupt, he claimed he got robbed and they stole all the original stuff off the car. But we got it done, eventually.”

And now Courson takes his car to the weekly Cars and Coffee event at El Rancho Marketplace in Santa Ynez, and it has now won an award.

“I’m very proud of it,” he said. “I certainly didn’t see it [the award] coming, but it’s nice.”

What was also nice was the turnout for the show, both in entries and audience, according to car show co-chairmans Gregg Weitzman and Jordan Sideris.

“We sold out with the 250 show entries ahead of time, but then we had some drop out, which happens,” Wietzman said. “But then we had some entries show up this moning to make up for that, so we had it pretty close to sold out.”

Not only was it a sellout in excellent weather conditions, but it was all for a good cause, Sideris said.

“This and the golf fundraiser are our main fundraisers,” he said. “We have no overhead and 100% goes to those families in need.”

Downtown Solvang saw cars lined up along Copenagen Drive and both 1st and 2nd streets, as folks admired, or showed off, plenty of motorized masterpieces.

One group displaying their wheels were member of the Nite Life car club in Santa Barbara, who had eight vehicles on the east end of Copenhagen.

“Our club started in 1980 and we have about 20 of these events every year, tradition lowrider stuff; and this is one we like to come to,” said Danny Trejo, one of the club members. “We like to promote the fact that we’re going outside and enjoying the fresh air instead of sitting at home or being on drugs.”

A couple more of the Nite Life members Cesar Palma and Bobby Pulman, however, were just here to enjoy the scene.

“I love it here, it’s really nice,” Palma said. “We get to see some cars and meet some people to talk cars. it’s really nice,” Palma said.

Pulman agreed: “We like to see the vehicles, but making interactions with the people here is great.”

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With the school year now upon us, the time has come again for the monthly awarding of the Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge Student of the Month, giving to a deserving Santa Ynez High School student — for the month of September, the honoree is Ransell Perez Nunez.

Ransell has demonstrated outstanding dedication to his academics throughout high school. He currently holds a 3.5 GPA and has challenged himself with a rigorous course load. He is enrolled in AVID, has successfully completed two Honors courses and two AP classes, and has also taken four concurrent enrollment courses at Allan Hancock College. His commitment to growth and learning is evident in the way he balances a demanding academic schedule with his many extracurricular leadership roles.

Ransell is the youngest of four siblings and has lived in the Valley his entire life. He treasures his family and faith, and those values guide the way he shows up as a student and as a community member. When asked what he appreciates most about SYHS, Ransell shared that the closeness of the school and SYV Valley community makes it a place where “everyone knows and cares for each other.”

His role model is his brother Vidal, whose hard work and determination to overcome challenges inspire Ransell daily. That same perseverance has fueled his own academic and extracurricular success. A dedicated student, Ransell especially enjoys social studies, where engaging teachers encourage him to debate, defend, and challenge his beliefs. He says he learns the most through project-based learning and debates, which push him to think critically and grow.

Ransell is an involved and accomplished student leader. He currently serves as a regional FFA officer, representing students from San Jose to Los Angeles. He is also active in the Robotics Club, serves as Vice
President of the OLA Club, and has participated in theater. These activities have sharpened his leadership skills, given him a voice in shaping school culture, and strengthened his ability to connect with others. Through FFA, he has gained confidence in public speaking, and through OLA, he has found a sense of home and community.

He describes himself as hardworking, genuine, and committed to integrity — values instilled in him by his family. Even when facing challenges, like recovering from a serious car accident, Ransell has pushed forward with resilience and determination. His motivation to succeed academically comes from honoring his family’s sacrifices, as he strives to give back and provide them with security and pride. Looking ahead, Ransell hopes to attend UCLA or NYU, major in business or pre-law, and pursue a career in immigration or corporate law. His dream is not only to become a lawyer but also to start a foundation to help struggling populations rise out of homelessness.

Outside of academics, Ransell has a playful side—he can juggle, play some piano, and he loves the movie “Nacho Libre.” His advice to younger students is simple but powerful: “Apply yourself, try hard, and always level up. Be compassionate and kind to everyone.”

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By Pamela Dozois

Contributing Writer

The 88th annual Solvang Danish Days Parade was held on Saturday, Sept. 20, as part of the three-day celebration of all things Danish. This year’s theme was “Be Happy — Vær Glæde!.” 
Approximately 25 parade entries joined in the festivities with the Color Guard leading the way, followed by the Boy Scouts carrying a banner welcoming everyone to Danish Days. Next up was the Danish Maid, Addie Madrid, riding in a red Mustang, followed by the Nordhoff High School Rangers Marching Band, then the Grand Marshals of this year’s parade, Brenda and Mark Anderson. Celebrating the famous author Hans Christian Andersen was John Clark wearing his top hat, City of Solvang staff and officials,
two colorful Solvang Trollies, members of the Viking Charities, the Viking Ship filled with cheering Vikings, Danish Maid 2040, residents of the Atterdag Village, the Authentic Leather Patch Co., and the gaily decorated ribboned float flanked by the beautifully garbed dancers from Fossemalle Dance Studio.

A group of elves announced Julefest, the “Nesser are Coming,” and advised us all to “Be Happy.” The Perrin family waved to onlookers, followed by an entry by the Padilla Tile & Construction Company throwing candy to the children lining the sidewalks. Next along the parade route was Birkholm’s Bakery,
Franciscan friars dressed in their brown robes, Kay Dominguez directing the Santa Ynez Valley Jazz Band, beautifully dressed señoritas, one on horseback, then the Figueroa Mountain Brewery bus displaying images of its colorful brews, followed by the Carlsberg Pilsner float carrying the Solvang Village Band.
And for the grand finale, a huge Beehive float, as tall as the surrounding buildings, rolled by with a group of men and women all dressed in bright yellow beehive T-shirts complete with bee antennae on their heads, courtesy of the Nielsen Building Materials family and friends.
A group of ladies from the Visalia Gadabouts, a senior group, came by bus just for the day. A visit to Solvang for Danish Days is on their yearly agenda. They said they did a lot of shopping. “Now I’m broke,” said one of the ladies. They bought T-shirts for their grandchildren, socks they said “were so cute,” cookies, thread, and a ring for one of them and, of course, a mug. “Whenever I go to a new place, I buy a mug and a magnet,” said another, all gleefully speaking in unison.
“This is the first time my friend and I have been to Solvang in more than 25 years,” said Lupe Ramizez. “The parade was wonderful. We caught lots of candy — we were just like kids. I even got a little wet from the water sprayed from one of the floats. We had a great time. Our whole visit was awesome.”

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