UC Santa Barbara will host GauchoFest, a community-wide event, on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 6 p.m. on Commencement Green. The event aims to foster closer connections between the campus and not only alumni but also friends and neighbors in the wider community. This year marks a renewed emphasis on community involvement for the annual All Gaucho Reunion, with the festival welcoming all to celebrate on campus.
GauchoFest will feature a range of activities for all ages. Attendees can expect live music performances, various games, and a photo booth. A staffed kids' zone will be available for children aged 12 and under, ensuring family-friendly entertainment. Food trucks will be on site, alongside local beer and wine options, providing a festive atmosphere.
The highlight of the festivities is a lineup of bands, headlined by ALO, or Animal Liberation Orchestra, an act with roots at UCSB. ALO includes multi-instrumentalist Zach Gill, a 1997 alumnus known as fellow alum Jack Johnson’s piano player, along with Dan Lebowitz, a 1998 alumnus, and Steve Adams, a 1999 alumnus, as well as Ezra Lipp. Additional performers on the bill include Munkafust, Whatever Forever, Salty Strings, and DJ Darla Bea, all described as "Gaucho legends."
Samantha Putnam, executive director of UCSB Alumni, noted that the current season is a beautiful time of year in Santa Barbara. She expressed enthusiasm for welcoming alumni back to their former home. Putnam emphasized that the All Gaucho Reunion's purpose extends beyond alumni, aiming to celebrate the incredible community that defines UCSB. She specifically invited local residents, stating GauchoFest is also for them. Putnam encouraged the community to join the campus for live music, food, drinks, and what she described as "genuine Gaucho pride." She urged attendees to bring family and friends to experience the campus, noting the area is lucky to have it on its doorstep. Early registrants, she added, would receive parking assistance.
This year marks the first time the annual All Gaucho Reunion is being held in the fall, a change designed to align with its renewed focus on engaging the broader community beyond the campus boundaries. The event aims to provide a vibrant opportunity for locals to experience the campus and its traditions.
