Cabrillo Pavilion Renovation
Bringing a beloved Santa Barbara landmark back to life
Pavilion history
In 1927, David Gray gave the Cabrillo Pavilion to the people of Santa Barbara. Since that time, this 24,000-square-foot beach pavilion on the shores of East Beach has become an iconic Santa Barbara landmark.
Gray, a local philanthropist, added two conditions to his generous gift, making sure the Pavilion would forever be a community resource open to all:
The Pavilion must be self-sustaining
It must be always be home to park and recreation activities
Gray began his ambitious project soon after the 1925 earthquake that transformed the look of our city. His chosen architects, Roland Sauter and E. Keith Lockard designed the Pavilion in the newly-popular Spanish Revival Style. This style, with its white stucco and red tile roofs, now defines Santa Barbara.
In its heyday, the Pavilion was considered one of the finest examples of a public recreation facility in California. The Pavilion helped establish East Beach as the favorite public Santa Barbara beach.
The Pavilion was a linchpin of community vitality—a go-to destination for generations of family and friends. With games downstairs and dances upstairs, the Pavilion was the place to be in the mid-20th century. It even supported the war effort during World War II.
Saving a local landmark
The City of Santa Barbara completed a full renovation of the Pavilion in 2020. This was funded in part by the Campaign for the Cabrillo Pavilion, a major fundraising effort led by the PARC Foundation. The City’s General Fund contributed the remaining $19 million for the Pavilion’s restoration and modernization.
The Pavilion renovation project safeguarded this Santa Barbara landmark for the future. And, it strengthened a link to our community’s past.
The Pavilion, yesterday and today
Generations of local athletes, from lifeguards to volleyball players and triathletes, have practiced and competed on the shores of East Beach, with the Pavilion standing by as a welcoming home base. Now that the Pavilion is open again, the downstairs lobby, gym, and locker rooms are bustling!
Each summer, local children come to the Cabrillo Pavilion and East Beach to make new friends, enjoy healthy exercise, and learn safety skills at Parks and Recreation Department summer camps.
Dances and celebrations are back at the Pavilion, too! Community members choose the Pavilion for their lives’ most important events, from weddings to family reunions. In recent years, local businesses and nonprofits have sought out the Pavilion as the perfect setting for meetings, trainings, and fundraising galas.
As for what the Pavilion’s bright future holds—stay tuned!
To learn more about the Cabrillo Pavilion, please visit visit the Pavilion website at CabrilloPavilion.SantaBarbaraCA.gov.
