Celebrate Santa Barbara’s 23rd Annual Creek Week

This year’s Creek Week celebration takes place September 17 – 24. Creek Week is an annual opportunity for community members to learn more about our local creeks, watersheds, and the ocean through a series of fun and educational events. Creek Week will kick off on Saturday, September 17 with Coastal Cleanup Day, when community members can join choose from over 25 beach and creek locations Countywide to volunteer their time cleaning up our local beaches.

The City of Santa Barbara Creeks Division is hosting a variety of events including a Craft Night at the Crafter’s Library, a series of informal “Coffee at the Creek” meetups, tours of the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge Restoration and the Upper Arroyo Burro Restoration at Barger Canyon, an online talk about beach water quality, and a Creek Week Tour on the Land Shark.

“We are pleased to bring back the Land Shark Tour this year after cancelling the 2020 and 2021 tours due to COVID,” said Cameron Benson, Creek Restoration and Water Quality Improvement Manager. “It is one of our most popular Creek Week events, and many participants come back year after year to learn about our projects and programs.”

In addition to a variety of online talks and presentations, community members can join in the Goleta Valley Library’s Creek Week Art Contest – submissions are due Wednesday, September 14 and artwork will be on display through the end of the month. There will also be a bicycle tour along Mission Creek with the Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council, a falcon demonstration at the Transfer Station, and tours of the County’s ReSource Center and UCSB’s Household Hazardous Waste Center.

“With over 25 events on this year’s schedule, this is the biggest Creek Week I can recall,” said Benson. “We are so appreciative of all the local organizations who help to coordinate Creek Week and host events throughout the week, and their ongoing dedication to protecting our creeks and ocean.”

Visit www.sbcreekweek.com or www.Facebook.com/sbcreekweek to view the full schedule and event details.

Creek Week is coordinated by the City of Santa Barbara Creeks Division, County of Santa Barbara Project Clean Water, City of Goleta, City of Carpinteria, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Explore Ecology, with events planned and hosted by many community groups and environmental organizations.