The Isla Vista Community Services District hosted its fourth annual Spring Festival on April 5 in an attempt to draw Deltopia attendees away from Del Playa Drive and mitigate crowds. The event at Little Acorn Park and People’s Park included free food and band performances.
Crowds of people lined up for complimentary tacos from Elubia’s Kitchen at the IVCSD Spring Festival. Wesley Haver / Daily Nexus
The Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) hosted its first Spring Festival in 2022. It aimed to create a safer environment for party attendees and to provide an alternative to Deltopia while bringing numerous forms of entertainment, according to IVCSD Community Programs and Engagement Director Myah Mashhadialireza. Deltopia is Isla Vista’s annual unsanctioned street festival, where the community and out-of-towners flock to seaside parties.
The event featured activities like interactive art booths, art shops, a body paint station, an ice cream truck, tooth gems and more. Yetz’s Bagels catered free bagels; Roger’s Tacos, Maria’s Tacos, Elubia’s Kitchen and Zocalo catered free tacos.
In addition to the festivities, there were three bands and two groups of DJs performing at the festival. These included Standby, Danny Vista, Wahoo, DJ Konvikt and Kings Club. The musicians who appeared at the festival were decided by public vote from the IVCSD’s annual Battle of the Bands and Duel of the DJs competitions.
“I love that it celebrates Isla Vista’s culture through music, art and the people,” Mashhadialireza said.
Bands and DJs performed at IVCSD’s Spring Festival, an alternative event that takes place during Deltopia at Little Acorn Park. Alexa Lopez / Daily Nexus
The Spring Festival also contained multiple safety areas where people could access health resources at safety stations. The stations provided free snacks, water and people who escorted attendees home. The wellness checkpoints supplied basic medical assessments, minor first aid and redirection to proper care by referring them to either the 911 emergency response or the Field Treatment Site. The Recovery Center at the I.V. Community Center also provided a place for partygoers to rest, along with free snacks and water.
“We just want a space for people to be able to rest and recover that’s away from the cliffs, but also that still celebrates Isla Vista, so you can think of it as an alternative. We feel that if we meet the community where we’re at with the resources that they need, we will be able to provide a safer space for them,” Mashhadialireza said.
Program Manager of the Santa Barbara Sobering Center Brian Dalley, who assisted people at the Recovery Center during the event, highlighted that this was the first time Good Samaritan Shelter, a company partnered with IVCSD that works at the Recovery Center, supported other medical staff during the festival. The Recovery Center served 14 people on Saturday, according to a press release from Assistant General Manager of IVCSD Sydney Castañeda.
“We’re just here to support all the [Emergency Medical Services] and anybody who’s had a little bit too much to drink, they can come in and rest. We give them food, water and we monitor their vitals and just make sure they’re safe to leave. So we’re just here supporting everybody and supporting the broader medical system,” Dalley said.
The Isla Vista Community Center was transformed into a Recovery Center where Deltopia attendees could rest and recover. Lance Sanchez / Daily Nexus
Out of town student Julie Sanchez said she overall enjoyed the Spring Festival because of its music and people.
“I think it’s really fun. There’s a lot of people, and they had good music playing earlier.
I like how friendly the people are, but besides that, I don’t think there’s a lot to dislike,” Sanchez said.
A version of this article appeared on p. 6 of the Apr. 10, 2025 edition of the Daily Nexus.
