CARPINTERIA VALLEY MUSEUM OF HISTORY
956 Maple Avenue | Carpinteria, California 93013 | 805.684.3112
EVENTS SCHEDULE
All events take place at the Carpinteria Valley Museum History, 956 Maple Ave., Carpinteria, unless otherwise noted. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Check back often for new event additions and opportunities to support the Museum.
The following schedule is subject to change.
2026
THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2026
from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
EXHIBITS PREVIEW
Museum Member Event
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New exhibits feature the people, places, and events that made Carpinteria and Summerland the coastal communities that we know today. Explore the world’s safest beach, Rincon Point, and surfing alongside places of the past like the Cerca del Mar beach club, the Thunder Bowl of auto racing fame, and the long-gone Serena Pier. Photographs are featured beside objects from the collection that have never been on view before. After exploring all things coastline, check out the new musical instrument area in the back galleries and the World War II section featuring the Museum’s grant-funded documentary film.
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This event is for museum members. Check your mail for an invitation with additional details.
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Not a member yet?
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Become a member today and join us at the preview!
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2026
Alcazar Theatre
at 6 p.m.
TALK & TALKBACK SPEAKER SERIES
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FILM SCREENING &
PANEL DISCUSSION
with filmmaker, Brent Winebrenner, and film participants John Fukasawa, Jr. and Tommy Dyo
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FREE event for everyone! ​No rsvp
or tickets required
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The Museum received a grant from the California State Library in 2024 to create a documentary film about civil liberties and Japanese internment during World War II. What started off as an idea for a short film grew into a multi-year project of research, video interviews, nearly 1,000 newly digitized images, and an important, detailed story about Japanese and Japanese-American families in Carpinteria. Join us for the free 45-minute cut of the film followed by a short panel discussion.​
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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2026
at 5 p.m.
​TALK & TALKBACK SPEAKER SERIES
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A VOLCANO, RENEGADE DRILLERS, AND THE GREAT SPILL OF ’69: RINCON’S OILY HISTORY
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Talk by Stephen Bates & Vince Burns
FREE for Museum Members
$10 per person for visitors
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Have you ever wondered about Rincon’s oily history? Bates and Burns, authors of Rincon Point, part of the Images of America series, will explore Rincon’s history with oil from Chumash to “Rincon Island.” The duo will also discuss the Rincon “volcano” and the oil spill of 1969. Talks with Bates and Burns are always informative, entertaining, and history-minded. Bring your questions for the talkback portion of the evening.
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Not a member yet?
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THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2026
at 5 p.m.
​TALK & TALKBACK SPEAKER SERIES
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PATHS THROUGH TIME: HISTORIC TRAILS OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON MODERN LIFE
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Talk by Mark Wilkinson
FREE for Museum Members
$10 per person for visitors
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Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Trails Council, Wilkinson will discuss Santa Barbara County’s historic trail networks, beginning with Indigenous routes and continuing through Spanish and early American corridors. Connecting the past with the present, he will explore how these trails influence the region today from recreation to conservation and community involvement. Wilkinson will also highlight how protecting and sharing these old routes can improve public access, care for the environment, and foster cultural understanding.​
LATE AUGUST 2026
at 5 p.m.
​TALK & TALKBACK SPEAKER SERIES
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HISTORY OF RADIO WITH CARPINTERIA VALLEY RADIO
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Panel Discussion with Peter Bie & Dennis Mitchell
Moderated by Bryan Mootz
FREE for Museum Members
$10 per person for visitors
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Panelists will explore aspects of the history of radio, how the medium has changed over time, some memorable moments of “life in radio,” and the founding of Carpinteria Valley Radio.​
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Additional details to come.​​​​​
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