Arches forty feet high were stretched across the principal streets, and decorated with flowers of all kinds. Some were all of roses, some of palms and pampas grass, some of wild flowers, and some of the wonderful yellow Californian poppy. From these
arches hung festoons of marguerites, wistaria, orange and lemon blossoms, the streets being canopied with flowers.
The festivities were all of a floral character, winding up with a flower dance, in which forty-eight young ladies of the city took part, each representing a different flower. Their dresses were fashioned and colored like the flowers they represented, and were covered with bunches of the real flowers.
After the young girls had danced for a few moments a number of young men dressed as bees joined the dance, and a few moments later a score of little children as butterflies.
This first carnival was such a success that it was decided to repeat it and make it an annual affair.
Since then, not only Santa Barbara, but a number of other Californian towns have held their annual flower festival.
People from the East are now making excursions to the Pacific Coast on purpose to see the charming sight.
The carnival season that has just passed has been more beautiful than usual, the favorable weather bringing the flowers out in great splendor.
In Los Angeles they had a parade of carriages decorated with flowers, a prize being given for the most tastefully decked vehicle.
The prize winner was a basket phaeton covered with pink carnations, and canopied with the blue Californian daisies.