The Isla Vista Community Services District is partnering with CBF Productions — a traveling festival production company — to create an alternative, safe event for students during Deltopia.

Deltopia is an annual unsanctioned street party held on the first weekend of spring quarter around Del Playa Drive that historically drew crowds of out-of-town visitors. In previous years, Deltopia violence led to unsafe conditions and civil unrest, culminating in the 2014 Deltopia Riot, which prompted local law enforcement to increase police presence during the annual event.

Thus, the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) has been trying to create an alternative event since 2019, when IVCSD originally partnered with Lucidity. However, their efforts leading up to the 2020 Deltopia were put on hold as the pandemic halted large gatherings. The 2022 Deltopia will be the first at full capacity since 2019. 

IVCSD is in communication with UC Santa Barbara to implement some COVID-19 safety guidelines. 

“In 2019, we did a very protracted, long effort with many community stakeholders to plan an event for April 2020 that didn’t move forward because of COVID,” IVCSD General Manager Jonathan Abboud said during the IVCSD Feb. 22 meeting. “We have been working on this for many years, and we did set a goal in our last board retreat to work on developing a community festival.” 

The goal of this community festival is to “provide a fun, safe, and healthy alternative space for residents of all ages to create and enjoy arts, culture, and food during the daytime event known as Deltopia,” according to the IVCSD Spring Festival Memo.

The budget for this community festival is $89,500, part of which is coming from UCSB and Santa Barbara City College. The event will include performers, food, water and seating. 

IVCSD has been working with the Isla Vista Foot Patrol, UC Santa Barbara Police Department and the Isla Vista Recreation & Park District to create this event. Upon their recommendation, there will be 15 security officers and two members of law enforcement present at the event and EMTs onsite. 

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Atmika Iyer
Atmika Iyer (she/her/hers) is the Daily Nexus editor in chief for the 2022-23 school year. Previously, Iyer was the County News and co-Lead News Editor for the 2021-22 school year. She's a lover of loud music, loud laughs and loud prints.