Firefighters Santa Run, Toy Drive, & Summerland Holiday Events

Society Invites says it is time to bring your holiday cheer to our neighboring towns and fire departments. Jot down these dates in your holiday outings schedule, which follow with Montecito’s holiday events – you can easily move from one party to the next on the same day! Let the hot cocoa and champagne begin!

The ever-faithful firefighters of the Carpinteria-Summerland stations are inviting the local communities to their annual holiday toy drive and Santa Run Parade. They are working with Summerland Beautiful to collect unwrapped toys from December 1-7. Lillie Avenue businesses will have drop off boxes for your donations. You can also donate the toys during their Annual Santa Run Parade, slated this year for Saturday, December 7, from 5-7 pm. 

The Santa Run has both a toy donation and money collection fire booth. The parade features circa 1926 fire engines to new fire engines, and one fire truck with Santa Claus riding on top. The parade starts in Carpinteria, so sip and shop while you wait for it to hit Summerland. The firefighters’ Santa Run is sponsored by the Santa Barbara South Coast Firefighter Foundation and the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Department.

The Summerland Beautiful organization is partnering with the local businesses for their Annual Holiday Party Friday, December 6, from 5 to 7 pm. Here peeps can join in the caroling by the San Marcos High School Vocal Choir, bid on art by local artists Whitney Castro and Tom Henderson, and stop in for a holiday drink and appetizers at Farm to Paper, 2325 Lillie Avenue, with Leslie Person Ryan and her team.

On Saturday, December 7, 11 am to 4 pm, is the Summerland Holiday shop and sip to support local businesses and get your place for the Santa Run parade.

The Montecito Fire Department will participate in the Montecito Association’s Annual Holiday Car Parade on Saturday, December 14, 5 pm, starting at the upper village and going through Montecito. They are also having a toy drive with drop off boxes at both Montecito fire stations. Read next week’s MJ issue on my news coverage of the Montecito Fire Dept.’s traditional decorating of the 18-foot Blue Aptos Redwood tree, aka the Hathaway Tree, at Manning Park, which took place on Wednesday, December 4.