Watch Video and View Photo Album

More than 400 people enjoyed the #BestDamDinner they ever had at beautiful Lake Los Carneros in Goleta on Saturday, August 19, 2023. Despite the impending storm, the sun was shining bright, and the lake was at the fullest it has been in more than a decade. The dinner started an hour earlier this year at 4:00 p.m. and went till 7:00 p.m. allowing more people to come and go, or for many, to stay and enjoy the event the entire time. 

View a video recap of the event here:  https://youtu.be/yTf2lNod5Ag. Check out all the great photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/VZwwx9TN7oKgSxhJ6.

Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We were delighted at the turnout of friends and neighbors for Goleta’s Annual Dam Dinner. I think all that attended would agree that we had a dam good time!”

Whether they brought their own picnic dinner or purchased food, attendees found a spot at the long community table decorated with yellow and blue checkered tablecloths. A welcome addition this year was the complimentary Plastic Free Goleta reusable cutlery sets placed at each seat at the table to promote the City’s recent plastic reduction ordinance. Another highlight this year was the understated speakers placed throughout the event that allowed everyone to enjoy the sounds of the live bluegrass music from the Salt Martians.

As always, people enjoyed capturing the moment by taking a photo with the traditional Dam Dinner frame that has been around since the event started in 2013. Stay tuned for a photo album and a video recap of the event later this week.

Thanks to everyone who took time to attend the event, including our Goleta City Council, Assemblymember Gregg Hart and Santa Barbara County Supervisors Joan Hartmann and Laura Capps.

Despite the simplicity of this event, it would not have been possible without the collaboration of some key partners. A big thanks to the Goleta Valley Historical Society for partnering with the City of Goleta again to put on the event. A special thanks to Pete Wolf with Big Hammer Lures for helping to plan, set up and clean-up the event, and for creating the yearly Dam Dinner t-shirts once again.

We also want to express our appreciation to Santa Cruz Market for donating succulents for the tables and to the Devereux Greenhouse Group for creating and delivering the arrangements to the event for all to enjoy and for some to take home as well. Thanks to Creekside Restaurant and the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce for sharing their tablecloths. As always, thanks to MarBorg for donating the bathrooms and handwashing stations.

Thanks to everyone who was a part of making this event so memorable every year. We are already looking forward to the 2024 Dam Dinner and hope to see you there.

Pictured: Event photos by Rob Hoffman:

Group photo

Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps, Mayor Paula Perotte and District 1 Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín

The Salt Martians performing

Assemblymember Gregg Hart and Councilmember Stuart Kasdin

Santa Barbara County Supervisors Laura Capps and Joan Hartmann, Mayor Pro Tempore Kyle Richards and District 1 Councilmember Luz Reyes-Martín (photo by Kelly Hoover)